Summer Love
by Soccer-chan
Summary: Sirius finds himself staying with Lily Evans for the Summer, what will he do whe he finds out Severus Snape lives nearby? Slash. SSSB. Marauder Era 1977 . AU
1. Here We Are!

Spinners End was a dreary part of muggle England. The sky was full of gray clouds despite Summer having just begun. Sirius Black stood, slumping slightly, beside fellow Gryffindor, Lily Evans on the sidewalk while her muggle parents took their luggage out of the car. Lily's older sister, Petunia, scowled at the witch and wizard from the car.

The Evan family home was possibly the least dreary on the street, with flower baskets hanging from each of the four windows and nice grey-blue door. Sirius chuckled and looked to the redheaded young woman standing beside him. "Nice place you got here, Evans." He glanced sideways to a group of young muggles playing hop scotch a few houses away.

"I like to call it home." said Lily, a bright smile on her face.

"Thank you for having me." He murmured, hiding partially behind his dark fringe.

Lily patted Sirius on the back, "It's the least I could do, my parents are thrilled to have you."

Just then Petunia abruptly got out of the car, slamming the door behind her. She scooted past the two, muttering "anything for their favourite."

"Lily dear, could you grab the trunk for me?" Mr. Evans asked, the blond man stumbled to carry his daughters bags, which were heavy with books and knick knacks from Hogsmeade. Lily closed the trunk of the car and offered to take a few things. Her father refused and made his odd way to the house after the auburn haired Mrs. Evans. Sirius followed Lily into the pale blue mud room and took off his shoes and jacket.

"Would you like some pie Lily, Sirius? You've had a long journey." Mrs. Evans asked from down the hall.

Lily looked at Sirius, who nodded, "Yeah, mum, we'll both have some."

Mr. Evans put the bags down beside Sirius' in the hall with a small, laboured huff. "I could use some too, dear." He pleaded, heading into the kitchen.

"Come on." Lily said, levitating all the luggage with her now drawn wand, "I'll show you your room." Sirius followed the witch up some winding stairs that came just off the mud room and down a short hallway, Lily turned left at the first door. "Ta dah."

"Wow." Sirius held in the urge to laugh. The room was painted a trio of colours. Green hailed three of the walls while the last was half white half bright red. "Festive." The bed was small and princess-esque with pink sheets, the walls were littered with potion instructions, Quidditch posters, and still photographs of Lily, Petunia and a dark haired boy who was probably some muggle neighbour of theirs.

"It was my room before I started at Hogwarts. Mostly just a clutter hole now but..."

"It's perfect." Sirius said. "Thanks."

"Aww, Siri ..." Lily strode the few short steps between them and threw her arms around her friend.

Suddenly breaking the magic, Mrs. Evans voice traveled up the stairs "SEVERUS! EILEEN! Whatever are you two doing here? Oh dear, Eileen, come in. You too Severus, would you like some tea and pie? Lily's just upstairs, she'll be down in a moment with her friend. You know him, right Severus? Sirius Black. Very nice boy."

xxx-xxx

Severus' body went stiff. How could Black be here, in Spinners End. It was bad enough as it was, with Petunia practically drooling over him, his mother's whimpers, Mrs. Evans constant fawning, and Lily's indifference. But add one of his mortal enemies into the mix and who knew what would happen. There was some shuffling sounds coming down the stairs and there they were. Lily Evans, the most amazing woman he'd ever meet. Sirius Black, the handsome man he most hated, both glaring down at him from the top of the landing.

"Come, come." Lily's mother took Severus' mum by the hand and lead the poor woman into the serene yellow kitchen. Severus looked away from the Gryffindors with as much disgust as he could muster before making his way down the hall. "Tea, Severus?"

"Please." The gangly young man said, gingerly taking the china cup from the older woman. He ignored Lily and Black as they took the empty seats on either side of him and instead focused on fixing the sugar level of the beverage to his liking.

"Now Eileen, what's wrong?"

Mrs. Snape sobbed softly into her handkerchief. "Tobias..."

"What about Tobias?" Mr. Evans asked, licking his fingers.

"My father has once again let his stupidity get ahead of him." interrupted Severus, "as always." He glowered into the sweet, dark tea.

"No..." Mrs. Snape cried. "Don't talk of your father like that." The poor woman sobbed again into her kerchief, dark hair hiding her features from view.

Severus stood, slamming the cup and saucer roughly on the table, "Very well." with that he turned and strode across into the living room. He sullenly sat himself down on an overstuffed sofa.

"Hey, there." A sultry voice said. Light footsteps followed the pale teen into the sitting area. Arms wrapped around Severus' torso, the woman's breasts pushed uncomfortably against the back of his head.

Severus cleared his voice "Petunia," He said whilst getting free of her thin arms. He faced the older muggle, "Please refrain from touching me."

The blonde pouted in a way that reminded him of a certain black haired witch. She quickly turned it into what she seemed to think was a winning smile but only made her out to look off her rocker. "You know you love it."

"No." Severus flatly stated, "I assure you I don't." He hated to be touched by anyone, especially this woman. That he knew for certain.

"But Severus... I could be." Petunia batted her eyes and bit her glossy bottom lip. "I can be whoever you want."

"You have a boyfriend."

The woman giggled. "What Vernon doesn't know won't hurt him."

"You're not my type." The young man muttered. He moved away from Petunia's coming embrace and towards the kitchen, the safe zone. He could feel Petunia's glare poring in the back of his head, but he easily ignored it.

"Shh, shh," Mrs. Evans sat beside Severus' mum and rocked her back and forth.

"Ma'am, would it be okay if my mother stayed for dinner?" The pale teen asked.

The woman nodded. "Of course, dear."

"Thank you, I'll pick her up at ten."

"Please stay, Sev." Petunia pleaded from behind him.

Severus turned and bowed shallowly. "I have matters that need attending to Evans."


	2. Books, Books, Books

_Hello again people! I'm so pumped with all the story alerts and faves for the first chapter! Here's chapter two for your viewing pleasure. edit: This and ch 1 (and probably all chapters after this) were beta..ed.. by the awesome .SCRUMPTIOUS  
>DISCLAIMER! I own about as much of this story as Argus loves children.<br>_  
><strong>xxx-xxx<strong>

Sirius sat up in bed. He brushed his messy hair off his face and stared lazily across the room. The sunlight making it through the closed lace curtains indicated that it was probably around noon.

"Might as well get up..."

It had been a week since he and Lily had arrived at the Evans' house in Spinners End. Sirius was staying in Lily's old room which was not only the smallest in the house, but also the messiest. The green and red walls were covered in pictures and the floor was littered with books and letters, giving off an effect that reminded him of his own room at home.

"Sirius! You up yet?" Lily Evans's voice came from just outside the door. "I'm going downtown if you want to come."

Sirius jumped out of bed and went to his nearly empty suitcase, picked out a random shirt and put it on. The pants he was wearing were clean enough, he thought.

"I'm coming!"

**xxx-xxx**

"Of course we're going to stop at a bookstore," Sirius grumbled. "Why don't you just kill me now?"

"Oh, come off it. I'm just looking for some light reading," the red haired teen said.

She abandoned the tall, young man at the front of the shop, forcing him to fend for himself against the daunting shelves of books. Sirius wandered around. As he read the section titles, he had to admit that muggles seemed to enjoy classifying things. Books were categorized by fiction, non-fiction, business, cooking, history, and almost every other word available. He soon found himself browsing through shelves of what muggles called 'fantasy,' and what he called 'A Day in the Life' and found some most curious novels about the lives of witches and wizards. He picked up A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K Le Guin and flipped through it.

"In the childrens section. You're naiveté never ceases to amaze me, Black."

Sirius spun around to see the sullen and ever pale Snape glowering at him from the end of the row.

"What are you doing here?"

"It's a public bookstore," Snape stated, shifting the pile of books in his arms.

Sirius perked up. "Hey, what are you getting, Snivellus?"

He rushed at the young man and grabbed a book off the top of the pile. A thick book with a rabbit on the cover.

"Watership Down? What's that?"

Before the pale teen could so much as sneer at Sirius, the book disappeared from the grasp of Black and into that of Lily who had, seemingly, come out of nowhere. She handing the hardcover book back to its original owner, speaking harshly. "Here, Snape."

Severus took the pile stiffly and turned to the counter. "Keep a better eye on your dog, Evans," he muttered just loud enough for the two to hear.

"Dog?" Sirius asked himself aloud. The greasy git didn't know about his being an animagus, right?

"Don't let him get to you, Siri, he's just a bitter bastard." Lily shook her red head in an almost disappointed manor. "So, what'd you pick out?"

**xxx-xxx**

_Well, that was a bit shorter than the last chapter, I think. Hope you liked it!_


	3. Call Me

_I am in SUCH a friggin' good mood! And why not? It's summer bloody vacation! *deep breath* Now if only it weren't so warm... edit: beta...d my .SCRUMPTIOUS (the awesome)  
>DISCLAIMER! I don't own the characters used in this story, they are portrayed much differently than they are in the novels, simply for the sake of plot!<br>Have fun!_

**xxx-xxx**  
><em><br>_Severus didn't have any particular reason to be so annoyed; it was a regular summer holiday before his last year of school, the only thing that could have made it any better was if a certain enemy of his wasn't spending said holiday with his ex-best friend. Less than a block away. He was just a year away from escaping them all and starting a new life in the revolution.

The black haired young man put down the book he couldn't focus on. Figuring a walk could do him good. Downstairs, Tobias was talking on the phone. His cold eyes met his son's. "It's for you," he muttered.

Severus took the phone, wondering who would call him, surely no one from school knew how to operate the silly muggle contraption...but he wasn't considered popular in the muggle world either

"Hello?"

"Snape, it's me. I was wondering if we could talk?" Lily's sweet voice said into his ear. Severus's eyes widened. Tt had been so long since he'd heard those words.

"Not here, my father is nearby," he whispered. Both of them knew what Tobias Snape was capable of.

"Okay, meet me by the creek," Lily said.

There was a distinct click as she put the phone down and he looked over at his father. The oaf was standing at the opposite end of the room. Severus quickly checked himself before heading for the front door

"Where are you going, boy?" his father demanded. Severus ignored the older hook nosed man and quickly exited the building.

His black hair flew around his face; it was quite windy that day. The walk to the creek took about ten minutes, venturing down the street and through an alley or two. Soon enough, a young woman wearing a green sweater and dark blue flares with flaming red hair flying every which way came into view.

"Evans," Severus greeted.

Lily turned to face him, "Snape."

"So, what did you want to talk about?"

"Sirius."

Severus frowned, what did he care for that git?

"Sev-" Lily caught herself, "I just think it'd be good if you two could try getting along..."

"Evans..."

The girl shook her head. "No. He was disowned, he didn't have anywhere to go...with James on a trip to visit his cousins and Remus going camping and all…he didn't want to impose! I know it may not seem that way on the outside, but Siri is suffering."

The young man stared at Lily for a moment, digesting the information. "Why? The Blacks have been putting up with him being a Gryff for six years, would one more kill them?"

"It's not that."

"Then what is it?"

Lily shook her head again, "You'll have to ask him that."

**xxx-xxx**

_OooO0Ooo! Suspense! Not for long of course, I think I'm in a writing mood, I just may end up posting another chapter or two today.  
>Commentfave/whatever PLEASE!_


	4. The Reason

_Lalalalaala! I don't think anything could spoil this (except maybe a pointless flame)... ANYWAY! I've got a little surprise for the lot of you! Stay tuned! edit: beta..d by .SCRUMTIOUS  
>DISCLAIMER! I think we're all aware by now that I own nothing<em>

**xxx-xxx**

"Hey, Mrs. Evans...Where's Lily?" Sirius asked, yawning. He'd slept in late again and all signs pointed to it being nearly noon.

The older woman smiled. "Call me Olive, dear. Lily's gone out to get some groceries. She'll be back soon. Would you like an egg salad sandwich?"

"Uh...yes please...Olive," Sirius faltered.

As the teen sat down and Mrs. E- Olive put the plate in front of him, a loud noise could be heard at the end of the hall. Someone was home.

"Afternoon, Siri," Lily said briskly as she entered the kitchen. "I got everything, but the grocer was out of pudding mix."

"Dear me, no chocolate cream pie then."

"It's the end of the world!" Sirius exclaimed sarcastically.

"That reminds me!"

"This can't be good..."

"Snape would like to meet with you, Siri. I swear he wants to help."

The Gryffindor strained a smile. "Super."

**xxx-xxx**

Sirius left the house with orders and directions to meet and talk with Snape. Not the most appealing way of spending a nice afternoon, but he decided to make the most of it anyhow. With a quick look around, the handsome teen wandered into the alley between the Evans's house and their neighbours. A big black dog came out of the alley a few moments later.

After a little while he smelled something like strawberries coming from close by. The beast paused. A little ways away was the man of the hour with a book in hand, reading beside a creek. With a doggish smile, Sirius shifted into his human form and slowly made his way over to the Slytherin.

"Hey, Snivellus."

"Black, I would suggest you start using my name unless you wish to die," Snape droned. "We're all of age now, so don't think I won't hex you at the drop of a hat."

Sirius remembered that Lily said that she and sourgrapes had made a bit of a pact that involved him being polite to the git sitting on the ground in front of him. "Snape."

"Better."

"So, why was I told to come here?"

The Slytherin looked at him from behind his greasy hair. "Why were you disowned?"

Shock struck a chord inside Sirius's body. He visibly froze for a second before regaining his composure. "You know my family. Slytherin is as Slytherin does."

"That's not what I was told."

Sirius raised an eyebrow nervously, trying to come off as fearless. "What have you heard?"

"Why were you disowned?" Snape shot back, ignoring the question. He closed his book and lay it aside.

Sirius gulped Could this, this, Slytherin be trusted? He hung around Regulus at school, he would find out sooner or later, along with the rest of the wizarding world. Sirius felt heavy. He sat down on the dewy grass.

"Umm..." the taller young man decided to go out on a limb. He moved closer until he was sitting across from the previously acclaimed Snivellus.

"Severus," he said.

Severus's steely gaze met his. "While that may be my name," he began. "I find no pleasure in you referring to me by it."

Now, Sirius had never truly stopped to take a good look at Sourgrapes Snape. For some reason, now he did. His hair didn't seem that greasy, his nose didn't appear to be as big, and his eyes, Merlin, his eyes. Two onyx pools that one could willingly fall into for hours.

"Severus it is then."

With that, he did something he would very much regret in the following hours, he leaned in...and kissed Severus. On the lips.

**xxx-xxx**

_The 'Love' part of the title is activated as of now!  
>I really need to work on my kissy scenes...<br>I hope you're all having a good time, and have tons of fun this summer!  
>I'm going to sleep mostly... Write this fic, maybe work on one of my other fics, and work on my LoZ webcomic<em>


	5. Aftermath

_DISCLAIMER! I own this about as much as Hermione can draw!_

**xxx-xxx**

"What the hell, Black?" Severus had pushed the Gryffindor away the second the other man's mouth had touched his.

The color drained from Sirius's face as he crawled backwards into the dirty creek, his hand over his mouth, shocked to his very core. He looked like he wanted to speak, but nothing escaped his lips. The lips that had just touched Severus's.

"Goddamn it!" The Slytherin stood up hastily and drew his wand. "Levicorpus!" he shouted, not bothering to check if any muggles were around.

In one fluid movement, Sirius found himself hanging upside down. He reached into his back pocket for his wand, it slipped through his fingers and landed in the creek with a splash.

Severus, keeping his attention to the man, rushed forward and grabbed the magical piece of wood before it could be taken away with the current. He smiled to himself, he had something to use against the former heir. "Listen here, Black. If you want your precious-" Severus took a step backwards and lost his footing on a slippery rock near the floating Gryffindork.

Suddenly Sirius felt gravity take over. He found himself falling head first into the shallow stream or rushing water, into blackness.

**xxx-xxx**

As Sirius blinked against the near blinding light of the world, he became aware of his surroundings; he was in 'his room', messy as ever. Beside him was an unusual suspect. A woman sat on a stool beside him, Petunia Evans.

"What happened to your hair?" Sirius asked, motioning with a dizzying flick of the head to Petunia's formerly blonde 'do.

"I was dying it when Severus came by with your corpse," she answered, twirling a dark lock around her slim fingers as she spoke. "I needed a change of pace."

Sirius shivered when the older woman said corpse. How close had he come to being one? Something else also caught his attention, "Snape brought me here?"

Petunia nodded. "He was flushed and out of breath." She bit her glossy bottom lip, obviously savoring each detail.

"And then what?" Sirius directed, trying to keep the image engrained in the woman's brain out of his mind.

"He brought you up here, gave you some swampy goop and told me to watch you."

"Why you? Why not-"

"Shh..." Petunia whispered, placing a finger over Sirius' mouth. "Stop asking so many questions. You're much prettier if you don't speak."

_I could say the same for you_, Sirius thought, watching Lily's strange elder sister saunter out of the room.

**xxx-xxx**

When Sirius got up the next morning, the sun was only just peaking over the roofs of the surrounding houses. He stretched and as per usual, instead of venturing to his closet or a dresser for clothes, picked up some clean looking garments off the floor. As he was about to put them on, he remembered that he had fallen into a dirty creek yesterday. To put it bluntly, he smelled.

He made his way to the bathroom, and shed his clothes. He turned on the water, and allowed the tepid liquid to pelt his body. He had only taken baths when he lived at Grimauld place, but Sirius had to admit that showers had their advantages.

Once fully dressed and prepared for the day, Sirius made his way downstairs.

"Oh, good morning Sirius," Mr. Evans greeted, putting down his coffee. "Care to join me?"

"S-sure." Sirius got himself a cup of joe and sat perpendicular to the blond man.

It was awkwardly silent for a moment, with only the sounds of slurping being heard. Lily's father asked Sirius about his time in the house and whether or not he was having a good summer, the usual questions a host would ask. Then a more serious question was raised.

"At the beginning of all this, when Lils asked if you could stay with us... She never told us anything about the situation with your parents." Sirius spluttered on his coffee. "Could you shed some light on this? I'm not trying to pressure you or anything-"

"It's fine," Sirius cut him off. "I'm pretty sure the secret's out anyway." The wizard sighed. "Mister E, I..."

"As long as you didn't kill anyone."

"No I- I would never!"

All of a sudden there was a pecking at the kitchen window, and Mr. Evans excused himself from the table and let the horned owl in. Sirius recognized it immediately as James' owl, Claw, and was thankful for the interruption. It had a letter in its talons that Mr. Evans traded for a treat of some sort. Claw hooted and took off.

"Say, could you give this to Lily for me? I have to go to work," Mr. Evans asked, putting the sealed parchment on the table. He grabbed his coat and left the room, leaving Sirius slightly annoyed about the fact that his best friend had written a letter to Evans, and not himself.

**xxx-xxx**

_At this point Sirius has been in Spinners End for almost a month. As this is taking place during Summer Vacation, I only have two fictional months to stuff all the ideas I came up with into the story! I will leave you to imagine what has been going on behind the scenes!_

_As always, a shoutout to This. Is. SCRUMPTIOUS, go read her stories._

_I hope you can all stay with me till the end of the story and possibly beyond! (wink wink?)_


	6. Avoid

_So, I finally got into Pottermore and, horror upon horrors, was sorted into Hufflepuff. However, after reading a bit more about them I realized how much of a badger I am, so I sign off a slightly miffed Slytherpuff_

_DISCLAIMER! I own this as much as everyone (but Harry) likes squirt._

**xxx-xxx**

Severus lay rigid on his old bed. How he was able to let his thoughts stray from the grand future he had been promised of as a follower of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to a simple-minded, simpering Gryffindork was beyond him.

It was true that none of his Slytherin 'friends' had contacted him at all so far, but Lucius Malfoy had told him to expect something soon. What, Severus wasn't sure, but he wasn't worried about it. For now all of his thoughts were, as stated before, focused on one Sirius Black.

Severus brought a finger to his lips, tracing their outline. He wondered if Black would be alright with Evans's older sister; the poor boy wouldn't fall for her charms like some men did. He should be fine, unless the injuries were worse than he'd thought.

The raven haired young man looked at his own arm, where a gash was now quickly healing thanks to the potion he'd smuggled from Pomfrey's office a while back.

"Damn it," the sallow teen muttered. He sat up, knowing that it wouldn't be wise to continue thinking about it. He walked briskly down the stairs to the kitchen, where his mother was busy making porridge.

"Hello, dear," she greeted him, attention focused on breakfast.

"Hello," he greeted in return. "Mum, do you need anything done?"

Eileen looked in surprise at her only child. It was rare for either of the men in her life to offer her help, she had to think for a moment. "Would you like to help with breakfast?"

"Okay."

xxx-xxx

Sirius sat there for a moment, assessing the situation. First looking at the wax sealed parchment, then to his coffee, then out into the hall Mr. Evans had just left down.

Was he missing something or had his best friend chosen to contact Lily rather than him all summer? He wouldn't have noticed if the owl came in the morning when he'd been sleeping in, but why would they hide it from him?

Sirius tore up the stairs as fast as he could, oblivious to whether or not he was waking the other occupants up.

"Lily?" He asked the red head's closed bedroom door. After a loud resounding  
>'thunk' and a few sluggish shuffles, Lily opened the door.<p>

"Mn," She mumbled, looking at his face with sleepy eyes. "What is it Siri?"

"You got an owl," Sirius said bluntly. "from James."

"Really?" Lily yawned, "Took him long enough. Give it here." Sirius did as his friend said and Lily broke the seal. "Mmnn..." she hummed while reading the letter.

"Well?"

The young woman looked up at him, a groggy expression on her face. "Well what?"

Sirius crossed his arms and gave Lily a look. "You and James have been writing and you didn't tell me," he explained, sounding like an offended teenage girl.

"I wrote him a week ago, this is his reply."

"Ah." And instantly he was over being mad at them.

Lily nodded, and having finished the note, put it down. "By the way, James is coming for a visit in a couple days."

xxx-xxx

Sirius stayed in the house for the most part, only leaving to go on midnight jaunts as Snuffles. He wasn't hugely into the idea of possibly coming into contact with one certain person that lived only five minutes away. Said person seemed to refuse to leave his head. Sirius had thought that maybe he was starting to like the Slytherin known as Severus Snape, but quickly removed that thought from his mind and turned instead to the comforting news that his best friend was going to be visiting soon.

One night, after Sirius had said good night to everyone, turning all the lights out, and slipping under the pink princess covers which were growing on him, there was a noise.

It wasn't a very loud noise, so Sirius didn't really pay attention. But then there was another, louder noise. Someone was knocking on the window of his room.

"Hey kiddo!"

Sirius stood up and looked out the medium sized window of Lily's old room. Outside, James Potter sat on his broom, rucksack slung over his back, and looking mildly more dishevelled than usual. He opened the window and let the fellow Gryffindor in.

"Why didn't you use the front door?"

"All the lights are out. 'Sides, it'll be a bigger surprise this way." James chuckled, wrapping an arm around Sirius.

"This is the first summer we haven't spent together, huh." Sirius said.

"True, that," James smiled. "I, however, know how to make up for it."

"Oh?"

The younger of the two pulled off his rucksack and dug around, after a second he found what he was looking for, a bottle of firewhiskey and a bag of dungbombs, "I hear a very annoying git lives around here."

**xxx-xxx**

_Goodness, what could they be about to do with that? A correct guess just might land you with some invisible cookies of your choice :)_


	7. Confront

_I just randomly feel the need to remind you all that Hermonucleusus can't sing. Also, I don't own Harry Potter or the characters residing within it's pages._

_Thanks as always to This. Is. SCRUMPTIOUS for beta reading._

**xxx-xxx**

Blinking made Sirius's head hurt. The light coming in from the window only made it worse. He groaned as pitifully as he could manage and sat up. Quite promptly after doing so, he fell back down. His head felt like a bowling ball, and his mouth tasted like death. Something must have happened last night. Sirius could remember James, and drinking, but that was about it.

He tried sitting up again, this time succeeding. He desperately needed to pee.

When Sirius finally made it downstairs he found that not only was no one up yet, but that a certain young man by the name of Severus Snape awaited him in the hallway. Mr. Evans must have let him in as he left for work. The Slytherin stood up and practically lunged at the young man the moment his feet touched the linoleum.

"You dunderheaded git, do you realize what you did?"

Sirius cocked his head sideways in a very dog-like manner. "What did I do?" he asked, yawning. Stretching his jaw only made his head hurt more. Severus looked like he was about ready to lash out at him, but paused just before, looking over Sirius's shoulder. Curious, as he heard laughter, Sirius did the same.

James and Lily were just coming down the stairs. Sirius had nearly dismissed his best friends visit as a dream; now his pounding head made more sense. James looked away from his lady friend momentarily to notice the two dark haired young men at each other's throats.

"Hey, Snivellous... How'd you like the greeting gift I left you?" James smirked.

Severus's eyes filled with a hellfire of hatred.

"You," he spat.

"Me." James shrugged innocently.

"You dungbombed my house!"

"What?" Lily exclaimed, "James!"

"Hey, he had it coming," James responded, not a care in the world.

Suddenly, the sworn enemies had wands at the ready. Severus kept a firm grip on his, so much so that his knuckles turned a ghostly white. James was cockier, using his wand to taunt Severus.

"Stop-" Sirius started, only to be cut off by Lily.

"Stop it! This house will NOT become a battlefield for your petty rivalries. All of you, living room. Now."

Suddenly, flashbacks of last night began to hit Sirius.

_'"WAHOO!" James yelled, throwing his arms up in the air as wind blew through his hair. This only made his passenger cling to him more and clamp a hand over his mouth. James pushed the hand away and took a swig from the firewhiskey bottle in his left hand before handing it to Sirius. Sirius took a swig himself. _

_"This is a muggle area Jamesh, shh!" He leaned over suddenly, almost making James loose his balance, "There! Tha's his house."'_

Sirius held his head. He was beginning to remember what had happened, but he didn't want to think about it.

**xxx-xxx**

Lily stood tall over the three young men, who were sitting in a row on the couch. She had her arms crossed, and her eyes were hard as she studied them.

Severus made himself smaller, crouching down with his arms resting on his knees. He glared at Potter who was on the opposite end of the sofa. The four-eyes was practically drooling. The sallow skinned teen caught Sirius's gaze. Black turned away with a start, realizing he had been caught. Severus suddenly felt self-conscious.

"The lot of you need to sort your priorities. I had hoped we could have a nice last summer vacation, maybe put the past behind and behave like the civilized adults we're expected to be," The red head started. She paced in front of Potter, Sirius, and Severus.

"But-"

"No 'buts' James, I mean it," Lily uttered.

Severus would never admit it, but sometimes the sound of Lily's voice just wasn't what he wanted to hear. This was one of those moments. The dark haired Slytherin simply sat there and contemplated a few of life's mysteries.

_'Why in the name of Merlin did someone believe it was all right to throw bags of dung at a house at two in the bloody morning?'_

_'Why hasn't Lucius owled me yet with the plans?'_

_'What the hell is a Hufflepuff?'_

_and, the one he was the least proud of..._

_'Why hasn't Sirius noticed that our legs are touching?'_

It wasn't hugely awkward in any stating of the word, but there it was. Sometime during the course of Lily's never ending speech, Sirius (Black, dammit, BLACK!) had leaned back to stretch. During the process, his leg had come to rest against Severus's and had refrained from moving since. What with everything that had happened, it was all Severus could do to ignore it.

"And for another thing-!"

"Uh, Lily," Sirius said. "I'm not sure what we're all doing here. You've been yelling at James this entire time. Sev and I don't need to be here..."

The brazen look in the young woman's softened slightly. "Sorry, I've been all over the place these past couple of weeks. I just wanted you three to see how stupid your childhood rivalry is. All the hate you have for each other was meaningless. The line between hate and love is so fine..."

Potter stood suddenly, making the springy old sofa bounce like a trampoline. He wrapped an arm around Evans and, Severus could only assume from his stance looking at the ground, kissed her.

"Fine. I'll get along with Sourgrapes, for your sake," he told her, smiling chivalrously.

"Thanks."

**xxx-xxx**

Sirius smiled subtly, he had had trouble concentrating on what Lily was saying during her little speech, but he had something better. The look of embarrassment on Severus' face when their eyes met. Sirius didn't have to be gay to know he had been checked out. gay gay gay gay gay gay. It felt good to think it to himself. He only wished he'd had the bollocks to say it out loud. Then again, he had just been checked out by Severus Snape.

The Gryffindor shook his head and stretched, curiously touching his leg to Severus's, and settling in to the rhythm of Lily's voice as she went on about how stupid James had been, going out in the middle of the night and dung bombing the Snape household. Then Sirius remembered.

James had come all the way to Spinners End in the middle of the night. He got into the girly guest room Sirius was staying in and convinced his best friend to have a drink before playing a prank on an 'annoying git who lived around there'. Sirius got drunk. He couldn't do it, he couldn't dungbomb Snape's house.

Why not? Sirius looked over at Severus. His beak like nose poked out from underneath his shoulder length hair. Surely not.

He turned his attention to Lily, who was taking a breath.

"And for another thing-!"

"Uh, Lily," Sirius said. "I'm not sure what we're all doing here. You've been yelling at James this entire time. Sev and I don't need to be here..."

The mad look in the young woman's softened slightly. "Sorry, I've been all over the place these past couple of weeks. I just wanted you three to see how stupid your childhood rivalry is. All the hate you have for each other was meaningless. The line between hate and love is so fine..."

Another flashback.

_'"I-I," Sirius sobbed. "I candot do dish James... I can't. Tag me homeeee"_

_James laughed and said, "You always were an emotional drunk."'_

As soon as it appeared, it was gone.

James stood suddenly, Sirius had nearly forgotten he was there. He wrapped an arm around the red head and kissed her on the lips, taking full advantage of their dating status.

"Fine. I'll get along with Sourgrapes, for your sake," he said, smiling nonchalantly.

"Thanks."

After that, Severus got up as well and announced he had to go. Sirius followed him to the door for some reason beyond his understanding. In the mud room, they just stood there for a moment, in silence.

Sirius was unsure of what to do. A hug would be too much. A handshake, too little. He also had the growing want to kiss the Slytherin again. However, he didn't move. Instead, Sirius avoided eye contact and looked at anything but those onyx eyes.

"Bye," Sirius said.

"Good day," Severus said.

When the door was closed and Severus was gone, Sirius turned back towards the living room with a thought in his head.

_'The line between hate and love is so fine...'_

**xxx-xxx**

_I'm sorry for not updating sooner, but I had writers block, couldn't figure out how to get from point a to point b, so I finally figured out a way to combine the two!_

_I like the way it's going now, next stop, romance land?_


	8. Communication

Well then, it's been a while hasn't it? Severus has a chapter all to himself today.

In other news, I tried my hand at NaNoWriMo this year (again) and after two different stories and a bit more than 4,000 words, it seems it's ended before it really begun.

I own very little. Sorry, this chapter hasn't been beta read, so there may still be rogue errors.

**xxx-xxx**

An owl came to the Snape house late one afternoon, carrying a letter from one Lucius Malfoy. Severus' father tried to swat the bird away with a broom before his son took it away and retrieved the letter, thus ruining his fathers little mirage that magic didn't exist yet again.

Severus looked at his ordinary little house, knowing of the strange man who now sat in an overstuffed paisley chair, and the mousey woman he would sometimes forget was a witch. Their strangely ordinary life that they led alongside him. His parents loved each other, though in an odd, almost platonic way that poorly match couples usually did. A small, hidden part of the Slytherin's soul wanted more than his parents ever had, and he was beginning to think that maybe he could have it.

It could be true that absence makes the heart grow fonder. With Potter at the Evan's house, Severus found himself there less that week, meaning not at all. He had yet to set eyes on the older Gryff, and despite the roughness of their encounters throughout the school years, he found himself thinking about Sirius quite a bit, and in a more than friendly manner.

Shaking the train of thought out of his head, Severus headed back into the house. He passed his father in the den and his mother at her post in the kitchen, heading up the stairs and to the right. Feeling safe in the sanctuary of his room, the black haired young man broke the Malfoy family wax seal and opened the letter.

_10 PM. Malfoy Manner._

_-Lucius Malfoy_

Was all it read. Severus was slightly puzzled. He had the right mind to know that Lucius was inviting him to a Death Eater event. What it entailed was a mystery. For now that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was growing in power, the Ministry looked more closely at mail for any leads that could send them on his trail. Of course, from the looks of it, it would take an idiot not to notice what this piece of parchment was. Though, he supposed the Malfoys were a well regarded pure blood family, perhaps it was passed off as a business proposal.

Exasperated, Severus glanced at his wall clock. It was a bit after one, he had to be at the manor in nine hours, and a large book he hadn't touched in a little more than a month. Watership Down was an interesting book from the few chapters he'd read, but he hadn't had the heart to open it after he knocked Sirius unconscious at the creek. Now seemed a good a time as any to read. The weather was favourable, and with an empty afternoon with nothing to do; reading outside seemed like the best way to stay out of trouble.

After telling his mother that he was going out and ignoring his father's yelling after him as he closed the door and headed down the street, to the familiar creek. Balancing as he crossed over the roots of trees that made the creek bed home, the Slytherin found his favourite spot. An older tree thats trunk had a seat in it near the base. Severus had discovered it as a child.

Sitting in the nook of the tree, Severus could see the spot where he and Sirius had fought that day when he was sitting in the very same spot, when out of no where-

A cracking twig caught the young man's attention. Sirius? He turned his head towards the sound.

"I thought I'd find you here."

"Oh, Petunia." Severus said disdainfully.

The eldest Evans girl pouted, "who were you expecting, Sevvy poo?" She cracked a smile and moved to lean against a tree by Severus, looking down on him.

He avoided her steady gaze, instead staring at his book. "No one."

"Whatever you say," Petunia said. "I just came to tell you that I'm leaving tomorrow."

"Okay..."

Petunia crouched down so that she was eye level with Severus. "I'm moving in with Vernon."

"Good for you," Severus looked her in the eye to see a mischievous sparkle.

She bit her lip. "I know your secret..." Petunia whispered, near inaudible. She leaned towards Severus and pressed her lips on his cheek, leaving a sticky gloss mark. "Good luck."

Severus was unable to move as Petunia backed up, tears made a slow descent down her face. He wasn't sure how to proceed in the situation he found himself in. Clearly, Petunia knew what was going on in some way, where she got her information he had no clue. He didn't even know how he felt about her proclamation, knowing his secret? He had many. He wasn't sure how he felt about having this muggle woman who was thuroughly infatuated with him for quite some time to be the first person to voice an opinion he wasn't comfortable with thinking about, much less talking about.

"You too." Severus finally said, his voice wavering.

Wiping her tears off on the back of her hand, Petunia nodded. "Thanks," she said. She turned around and headed off towards Spinner's End. Looking one last time over her shoulder, she yelled "goodbye!"

**xxx-xxx**

At 9:57 pm, Severus apparated to the front gates of Malfoy Manor, a few seconds later he was joined by another. The young woman flipped her dark, wavy hair over her shoulder and straightened her robe before acknowledging him.

"Mrs. Lestrange."

"I see you made it in one piece... Pity." She said, always up for a little gore. Newly wed Bellatrix Lestrange pushed open the gate to her soon-to-be brother-in-law's estate. "Shall we?" She led the way, sauntering along. Severus' gait was stodgy in contrast, with little flourish.

Truth be told, Severus was beginning to get a little frightened. Though he was a practiced legilmens, if the Dark Lord was present there was a chance he could see the thoughts that plagued him. It was proper to have this fear. The Dark Lord was powerful, and had certain thoughts about what was and wasn't. Liking a blood traitor in any sense of the word would mean death, long and torturous death.

Severus emptied his mind, and brought a wall up around his mind. He could not allow a slip.

Others joined them, Rodolphus on the right, his brother on Severus' left . The Dark Lord's followers gathered like moths to flame.

The front door opened as they arrived to present a proud looking Lucius Malfoy, as well as a haggard house elf carrying her young on her back.

"Welcome, I trust the journey has not been to tiring?" The young heir said with a smirk.

The house elf curtseyed as they moved into the house. Severus absently gave her a curt nod and her eyes widened in fright.

"That will be all Bimble," a feminine voice said. Narcissa Black came into the grand parlour, a strained smile on her face. "Go put your child to sleep."

"Thank you miss... Thank you." The house elf said, "come now Dobby, bed time." With a flash, the two were gone.

"The Dark Lord awaits us in the dining room." Lucius said.

**xxx-xxx**

And so we make our snail's pace foreward.


	9. Sorry

Sorry, sorry! It's been too long. I haven't got any excuse for it, just lazy. BUT I hope to finish this story by this summer. I hope. I've got a bit more figure out, so pray to Wizardgod.

**xxx-xxx**

The Dark Lord was indeed awaiting them in the dining room as Narcissa had said. He stood tall and proud, his dark hair showed flecks of grey, his eyes unwavering. He wore a smart robe and held his wand in his hand, ready for use if necessary.

Severus had only met He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named once before, at the Black girls' house. Bellatrix, Narcissa, and Andromeda's mother and father held a dinner for Slytherins and Alumni every few years to keep up appearances. Severus had felt himself drawn to The Dark Lord. He had heard of the movement from Lucius and Bella who both held him on a pedestal. As a lover of the Dark arts, Severus wanted to know more. He craved knowledge and the power that came with it. Eagerly, he sought after every opportunity.

Now here he stood, in the Malfoy's dining hall to witness what could be a great happening.

Severus clenched his clammy hand in a fist, The Dark Lord welcomed them and invited them to sit down. Bella was on his immediate right, her husband and his brother beside her; Lucius, Narcissa, and Severus on his left. The gawky young man slowed his breathing to match Narcissa's, waiting.

"I," The Dark Lord paused. "Have gathered you all here today because it is today that Lucius Malfoy will enter into the ranks." At this, both he and Lucius stood up.

Even from his seat Severus could hear Bellatrix's hiss, see Narcissa's sad eyes. Himself, he held a straight face as his mind calculated. They were to bear witness to Lucius' initiation.

"Bellatrix, if you'd be so kind," The Dark Lord said, gesturing for Mrs. Lestrange to lead the way. The brothers pulled up the rear, but when Severus made a move to join them, Narcissa put a hand up to stop him.

"Death Eaters only," she muttered, not meeting his questioning eyes.

The five of them went into the other room, and the doors closed behind them.

"Do you ever wish things were different?" Narcissa asked.

Taken aback, Severus' mind faltered. Certainly this wasn't a key conversation one would want to have with the Dark Lord in the next room. He chose to ignore her question. When Lucius started screaming, he jumped a little, and looked at the blonde. She was quietly crying.

"It scares me too," she whispered. "I'm sorry."

**xxx-xxx**

Thoughts?


	10. Bandages

I'm on a roll, and I own nothing.

... Sudden urge to eat cookies.

**xxx-xxx**

Sirius Black tossed and turned in his sleep. Lily's words still swirling around in his head, days after. The fine line between love and hate, was it so simple to cross? Thinking back on his actions over the summer it seemed obvious. Even in the Gryffindor's dreams the not so greasy, not quite so git-ish Snape appeared. Far from being annoyed, Sirius hungered to see each feature, to trace them in his mind.

He could only wonder what might have happened if Regulus had found those magazines under his mattress sooner, kicked out of the house in fourth year, fifth year. His mark on the family tree scorched to black. Would this have happened? This summer? This feeling?

"James?"

"What is it, Padfoot?" James groaned in a half awake throaty voice.

Sirius shifted on bed to face his friend who was situated on the floor in a sleeping bag.

"I had a thought."

"Out with it, then. I need my beauty sleep."

"I think I like Snape." Sirius said slowly, almost regretting each word as it came out of his mouth.

James sat up. "What?" he asked, looking over at Sirius with a mixed look of disbelief and horror. With a quick wand flourish on James' part, light filled the dark room, momentarilly blinding both young men. "You mean, like..." He trailed off.

Sirius swallowed, "yeah."

After a brief pause, James went off on a tangent. "That's mental! We've had this hate thing going on for years, and now Lily wants us to move on, and you like him? I mean, I only said I'd get along with sourgrapes because I figured she'd forget about it or something."

"James-"

"It's not like I was going to see him after we graduate-"

"James!"

The disgruntled young man paused. A look of near horror was spread across his face as he stared at Sirius.

"I know it's a lot to process, " Sirius sighed. "I've spent most of the summer avoiding the thought myself. Just wanted you to know, as my best friend and all."

"I suppose I am at least a bit happy that I at least already know the bloke. He makes you cry or some shit like that and I'll hex him into the next life." James reasoned, nodding to himself. Having calmed down considerably thanks to the idea of beating Snape up, he said, "you're my best friend, Sirius. I want you to be happy."

"I don't cry," Sirius said, rolling over. "Thanks, Prongs."

**xxx-xxx**

Sirius woke up in a big furry mess on the floor. To be completely truthful, he woke up halfway through his decent from the bed to the floor, but did it really matter? It hurt.

Nevertheless, he contorted himself into an upright position and snorted. Casting a lazy gaze at James, who was sleeping like a log. Straining his ears, Sirius concentrated on some kind of noise that was coming from downstairs.

Being a big black dog sometimes had advantages. He must have shifted after falling asleep, something that usually happened when he was a bit cold. Thinking nothing of it, Sirius trotted downstairs.

It was unusually dark outside. But if it was night, who could be making such a racket, Sirius wondered. A woman was wailing on the other side of the front door, she sounded familiar, so Sirius barked. She sniffed and asked, "Hello? Olive, Lily, are you there?"

SIrius shifted, thanking Merlin that he wore clothes to bed. With the help of his newly aposable thumbs, he opened the door to greet Mrs. Snape, holding a roughly bandaged individual who was badly beaten.

"Severus?"

"Oh, dear." Snape's old lady whispered, she looked scared. "A- are, can you help, please?"

Sirius nodded. Not saying anything, he took Severus from his mother. Carrying him like a princess or a fragile bird to the living room, close to him. He hoped she would follow. She did.

"I- I'm sorry about this. Should have known everyone would be sleeping... but I couldn't think of anything else to do..."

He placed Severus' passed out form on the couch they had shared with James only days ago. It seemed so long, and time slowed as Sirius brushed a stray hair out of the other young man's face.

"Hey," Sirius muttered, turning to Mrs. Snape. "What happened?"

"I... I don't know. I found him like this in his room." She said, not meeting his eyes, "I couldn't do... I haven't practiced since I got married..."

"He's alive, though." Sirius said. Emptiness filled him, and he looked down at Severus. He was determined to do whatever it took. "Go get the others, they're all upstairs."

Eileen nodded and backed out of the room, glancing back one last time to see Sirius pull out his wand.

**xxx-xxx**

So... Hey.

I'd apologize again, but really what would that do? We all have lives outside of the internet (at least for the most part), and mine took me away from this story.

This story probably would have been deleted a long time ago if I didn't have your support, so thanks. To the old readers and the new; here's to you.


	11. Chatter

Hello again, lovelies. Taking a break from schoolwork to write some more.

**xxx-xxx**

_Severus was floating, at ease in an empty world where nothing could get him. Immature as it was, he felt safe in his dream world._

"Severus?"

_The voice was everywhere. Close. It was breathing on him, holding him close. Yet, Severus held his eyes tighter, dared not open them._

"Hey, what happened?"

_He knew the voice, he knew the name, the face. "Sirius?" he asked. Severus opened his eyes. "You're here."_

_And he was. Together they floated through oblivion. Dream Sirius looked at him with sad eyes, asking._

_"They know." Severus whispered, "they know."_

"He's alive, though."

Severus woke up, but he couldn't move. His vision was hazy, he could see someone standing over him.

"Go get the others, they're all upstairs."

_Sirius?_

He mumbled something under his breath, and Severus could feel his wounds fizzle, an odd sensation that wasn't unwelcome. Nonetheless, he groaned, and slowly moved his hand to his side.

"Severus?" Sirius asked.

Severus looked up at him, his vision clearing, his mouth dry and unable to form words. His lips formed into a rare smile. Sirius returned it immediately, leaning down to hug him with a force that both hurt and was comforting. It felt right.

He breathed in Sirius' scent, an earthy musk that kind of became him. He moved his hand to brush his fingers through Sirius' hair, twirling a curl around his index finger.

Sirius moved away after a long moment, just staring into Severus' eyes. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"I-" The Slytherin cleared his throat, trying to get the rasp out of his voice. "I'm fine. I put some salve on the bruises when I got- How did I get here?"

"Your mother brought you." Sirius whispered, "Who did this to you?"

Severus was quiet, he was concerned for everyone's safety, but a secret like this? What would they think if they found out the truth about him?

"Nobody," he said finally.

"That's not true."

"Yes, it is."

"No it isn't Severus, if you don't tell me who did this to you right now, I'll... I'll..."

"You'll what, kiss me again?" Severus asked, his voice raised, upon realising what he said his face reddened.

"What?"

Both of the young men turned towards the kitchen, where James and Lily stood, staring at them. Lily had a hand covering her mouth while James just gave them his most dumbfounded look.

"What?" James repeated.

"Um, hey you two," Sirius said. "I was just trying to..."

"You told me you liked Sourgrapes, like, five hours ago, and now you're going steady or something?"

"No, that's not quite it."

Severus looked up at Sirius, "you _like_ me?"

"Not that we're not fine with it." Lily smiled awkwardly, "it's nice to see you're getting along."

"That's not the issue here," Sirius said. "Severus is hurt!" He motioned to the invalid on the couch.

Severus gave a small wave. It was really quite loud in this house, he wasn't sure how he felt about it. Soon, his mother and Lily's parents shuffled in one after the other. Olive held a muggle first aid kit in one hand, and a phone in the other.

"Should I call an ambulance?" Mrs. Evans asked.

"No, no, mum it's fine." Lily said, almost laughing now, "Sirius is doing a fine job of taking care of Sev."

"Thank goodness," his mother said, collapsing onto an overstuffed chair opposite Severus.

"I haven't actually checked yet," Sirius explained.

Severus made himself sit up, despite the throbbing pain. He touched Sirius' arm gently, "I'm fine, really." Sirius looked back at him, smiling like they were the only ones in the room. He took Severus' hand with his.

"You just need to rest?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah," he answered. "Sorry to cause all this trouble."

"It's fine dear, " Olive said. "You're no trouble at all."

"Would you like to stay here for the night?" Mr. Evans offered.

Quickly glancing up at Sirius, Severus whispered, "Yes, please."

"What about you, Eileen? You two could share Petunia's room."

"Oh, no thank you." His mother said, Severus could tell she was dreadfully tired, "I should get back. Tobias will be worry."

Mrs. Evans sighed, "all right, I'll show you out dear." She helped his mother up to her feet and slowly everyone started filing out of the living room.

"Should I take you up to Tooney's room, then?" Sirius asked once the adults were gone.

"I'm not sure, I'm kind of scared to see what it looks like."

"Get a room," James muttered, yawning, her wrapped an arm around Lily's waist and rested his head against the top of her head.

Lily yawned too, she gazed sleepily at the two young men, calculating. "Good night."

They trudged down the hall, their sock feet creaking the floorboards. Soon they were nowhere to be heard. Severus could hear him mum saying goodbye to Lily's folks, then the door closed. Mr and Mrs Evans made their way up the stairs, and then it was just the two of them.

"Are you sure you're fine?" Sirius asked, holding Severus' hand tighter, like he never wanted to let go.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Sure you want to sleep on the couch?"

"Yeah, I'm sure."

Are you sure you don't want to tell me how this happened?"

"Not tonight," Severus whispered, he lay back down and his hand slipped from Sirius' grip. He pulled the fleece multi-coloured throw over his body and exhaled a calming breath.

**xxx-xxx**

There was a lot of taking in this chapter... I'm tired now, g'night.


	12. After the Fact

You know what's weird? After spending all this time with this story (what's it been, a million years?), I feel like the marauders are mine... which they are not. So, I guess that settles that.

Beware, a possibly offending term approaches!

**xxx-xxx**

Morning came and went for Sirius, same as it usually did. Except that this time he wasn't sleeping, he was wide awake. The night before, Severus had arrived on the doorstep in his mothers arms, an injured man. It had driven sleep away from Sirius, not knowing who hurt him.

Yet, something kept him from going downstairs and shaking it out of the young man he once thought of as a 'greasy git.'

_Severus looked up at Sirius, "you _like _me?"_

Sirius shivered, Severus' voice when he'd said those words... it was soft, something that could be missed if you weren't listening.

"Hey, Padfoot," James said. Sirius looked up at him, he standing in the doorway with his arms crossed. "Lily told me to tell you to walk Sourgrapes home."

Sirius deadpanned. "What, why?" He asked, suddenly nervous.

James just shrugged, "Lily and I are going out." He turned and left Sirius alone.

After splashing his face a few times with cold tap water and brushing his teeth, Sirius deemed himself awake and alive enough to venture downstairs. Olive and Severus were having lunch at the kitchen table, Mr. Evans having gone to work, and Lily and James off on a picnic with some sandwiches of their own.

Sirius smiled, Severus looked much better than he had the night before, and by the rigid way he was sitting directly across the table from Lily's mum, Sirius supposed he was probably back in his right of mind.

"Afternoon," he said brightly, pulling up a chair beside Severus, who pushed his own chair further away in response. Their eyes met, Severus looked away quickly but glanced back a moment later before turning to Olive.

"Good afternoon, Sirius," the older woman said. "Would you care for a sandwich?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"There's some in the fridge. Ham and cheese or peanut butter and jam."

Sirius thanked her before going to raid the fridge, joining them with a ham and cheese sandwich and a cup of lukewarm coffee. No one spoke for a long while, it wasn't tension but something else that filled the room. The sounds of sipping drinks and chewing and the twitter of birds outside. For some odd reason, Sirius found it comforting.

When they finished, Olive collected their plates and deposited them into the sink, thanking the boys for the company.

"Anytime," Sirius said with a smile. Severus nodded solemnly.

Soon after the two headed out. Severus walking ahead with the ghost of a limp in his left leg.

"That salve stuff you used worked wonders," Sirius observed.

"I could have done better." The Slytherin muttered, "I could have done better if they hadn't broken my wand."

"Who? Who broke your wand?"

Severus paused. He looked back at Sirius with a tired grace, like he knew what Sirius was trying to get at. He sighed like he had given up.

"Your cousin, Bellatrix."

"Bella did this to you? I swear-"

"There were others too, " Severus said, starting towards his house again.

Sirius quickened his pace to catch up, "what do you mean?" He asked, sorry to sound so oblivious, but there was so much about this man that he didn't know; wanted to know.

"You know how the Dark Lord isn't fond of mud- muggleborns and blood traitors?"

Sirius nodded, having family firmly routed in blood purity kept him on something of an inside loop, or it used to anyway.

Severus laughed dryly, "as it turns out, he doesn't look too kindly on fags either."

The Gryffindor stopped dead, "oh." He said, "Oh!" His eyes went wide with realization. His heart leapt in his chest, whether from fear for Snape's life or joy, he wasn't sure. "That means..."

"I'm an example, a scapegoat for all to see." Severus said severely. With an uncharacteristic flourish he added, "I wouldn't be surprised if my head was found on a spike in front of the Ministry."

"That's a bit far fetched, isn't it? I mean, it's old fashioned. They wouldn't do that, right?" Sirius sputtered, tangling his fingers with Severus' out of what could only be instinct. Severus didn't shake him off.

"I wouldn't put it past them, The Dark Lord is powerful."

They walked the rest of the block in silence like that, holding hands. Fear slowly took hold of Sirius, like a poison. He'd grown pretty attached to the greasy git, he didn't feel any urge to see him injured, or dead.

He stared at the cracks in the old road, careful to avoid them. He stared up at the cloudy sky, looking for a sign of some sort. He looked at Severus' face, devoid of feeling. Hooked nose, lips, chin, eyes, stubble across a jawline he wanted to kiss, kiss. Forget about all he had learned in the short minutes previous and allow himself to fall.

Above all else, he felt emptiness, right to the pit of his stomach. Severus could die. It was his fault.

At the front door of the Snape house, the two paused. Severus untangled his hand from Sirius', brushed one of may stray curls behind Sirius' ear. They shared a sad smile.

"See you tomorrow?" Severus asked.

"Tomorrow," Sirius agreed.

Severus leaned in and their lips brushed, soft, hardly even a kiss. Sirius pulled him back in, desperate for some sign that all was not lost, that Severus hadn't given up.

"I'm going to help you," Sirius whispered when they finally parted.

**xxx-xxx**

Did I say I was hoping to finish this before summer? What a laugh! Sorry, but I hope you guys are willing to stick it out to the end, I don't think it's far off now!


	13. Moral Support?

I'm eating cornbread. How do you eat cornbread? Is there a proper way to do it? I douse it with maple syrup, personally (Yes, I am Canadian)

As I am sure you know by now, I don't own the lovely characters in this story.

**xxx-xxx**

Sirius regarded the couple sitting on the love seat in front of him with anticipation, desperation, bouncing on the balls of his feet to keep from exploding. He'd waited a day before telling them, he hoped it wasn't in vain.

"Wow," James said in awe, finally breaking the silence. His jaw slacked as he stared vacantly up at his fellow marauder.

Lily followed with, "um, yeah." She opened and closed her mouth, trying to find words. "Are you sure?"

Exasperated, Sirius huffed. "Yes, I'm sure that Severus told me that The Dark Lord's minions found and tortured him to a bloody pulp. He got away just in time."

"But, but why?"

"I don't know," he lied. "Does it matter? He's alive, and they're not finished."

James straightened up. "You think they're going to come back and finish the job? That's sick, Merlin's pants, that's sick," he muttered.

"This isn't a risk we can take. Severus assumed the worst, The Dark Lord is dangerous," Sirius explained.

James shook his head and wrapped an arm around Lily's shoulders reassuringly.

"I hate to think of how Sev got into this mess..." Lily said, leaning into her boyfriend's embrace.

They sat in silence for a while, thinking. Sirius hated the idea of holding back information from his best mate, but what other option did he have? James and Severus were so close to becoming friends, in some sense of the word. He feared that knowing the truth behind Severus' injuries, that he was a former lackey-in-training to The Dark Lord, would create an even bigger rift between them than there had been before, one that would condemn them to hatred forever. Honestly, he wasn't in the right of mind to be picking sides.

At some point, James stood up and kissed Lily on the head before heading upstairs, his sock clad footsteps faded into the dungeon of pink.

"Do you have any ideas?" Lily asked.

Sirius shook his head, his head was so filled with ideas and possibilities, confussion, and fear for Severus' life that it all just melded together and became one big mess of nothingness.

"I think I'm going to try owling The Ministry..." She said, "it can't hurt, right?"

Sirius nodded, wondering why he hadn't had the idea himself. Maybe because it didn't often occur to him to actually seek the help of authority figures, what with all the trouble that usually resulted in detention back at Hogwarts. People who got other people in trouble were usually people he wanted to avoid.

xxx-xxx

When Severus' mother called him from the bottom of the stairs, he expected that she was just checking up on him. She was much more antsy than before, ever since the accident. He thanked whomever it was that was watching over him that she hadn't pried too much about it. His mum might not know anything, but his father knew even less.

When he saw Sirius standing in his bedroom doorway, Severus gave a start.

"Your mum sent me up," he explained.

Severus' mouth formed an 'o' as Sirius closed the door behind himself. The Gryff sat down at the foot of the bed, and took in the room. It was messier than usual, piles of books littered every surface, there was a slight musk to the air, and a small portable cauldron sitting beside a pile of papers was simmering a mixture of herbs. Not the best circumstances for someone Severus liked to be seeing his room for the first time.

Severus brushed his hair out of his face, "so, are you here for any particular reason?" he asked.

Sirius smiled. "You said I'd see you tomorrow. It's tomorrow. I'm seeing you." His face turned red in a way that made Severus' stomach flip. "I mean, that is, I can see you. I mean... Hi."

"Hi," Severus replied. He gave the concoction in the cauldron one last counter clockwise stir before joining Sirius on the bed.

"I, um, I told James and Lily. About what happened. I didn't tell them anything bad, just the important bits."

"The important bits?"

"Yeah, um... We're trying to help." Sirius said, brushing a hand through his mess of a bed head that could only work on certain guys, Severus wasn't sure Sirius was one of those guys. "Lily's sent a letter to the Ministry, we don't know how long it'll take before they get back to us. James has an idea, apparently, not that he'll tell either of us."

Shifting closer to Sirius, Severus asked, "and where do you fit in to all of this?"

Sirius shrugged, turning to the Slytherin, "I don't know, I'm not really good at ideas, you tell me."

"How about moral support, you do have morals, don't you?"

"Do you?" Sirius asked, eyebrow raised.

Sirius' challenge led to a series of sweet kisses that trailed along started at his lips and lead to his ear lobe, down to his collar bone, and ended back where they started. The world melted away as Severus twirled a lock of Sirius' hair around his finger as the Gryffindor cradled his jaw, then wrapped his arms around Severus' shoulders and smiled against his lips. It was all so perfect, but perfection never lasts.

An awful stench filled Severus' nostrils, and he nearly recoiled. Opening his eyes, he moved away from Sirius. Looking past his shoulder, Severus saw smoke rising from the cauldron. Green goo bubbled over the sides, centimeters from ruining all of his work.

He stood suddenly, startling Sirius. Quickly moving to the other side of the room, "bloody dunderheaded... Stop you poor excuse for a copper kettle!" He went went between lowering the heat and stirring the mixture in all directions in a mad attempt to calm the beast.

"Do you usually yell at your work?" Sirius asked, looking at the scene with vague amusement.

"I give up, this isn't working." Severus muttered, "give me your wand."

"Why?"

"Because mine's been snapped into several tiny pieces, and I need to clean this up before it gets any worse."

"Oh," Sirius said. "Right." He took his wand, got up, and held it out at an arms length in front of Severus. "Here."

Severus quickly cleaned up the green mess and gave Sirius' wand back before recording his findings in a small dragon hide journal.

"Severus," Sirius said, the name rolling off of his tongue. "What are we?"

"Hm?"

"You and me, what are we?" he repeated.

Severus turned to face Sirius, whose eye's refused to meet his. It was interesting to see this shyer side of him after all these years. "What do you want us to be?"

"Together. Seeing each other."

Severus let out a breath he'd unwittingly held in anticipation. Remembering what Sirius had said earlier, he said, "I'm seeing you."

**xxx-xxx**

I kind of feel like these guys are the calm in the storm they created...


	14. Tree Roots and Watership Down

This chapter seems strangely lighthearted? It was a bit hard to write...

**xxx-xxx**

Sirius was on a blissful cloud nine, nothing could get him down. As he smiled down at his steaming tea, his mind wandered back to the what may one day be looked back upon as the best day of his life, the highlight of last week.

_Severus turned to face Sirius, whose eye's refused to meet his. "What do you want us to be?"_

_"Together. Seeing each other."_

_Severus let out a breath he'd unwittingly held in anticipation. Remembering what Sirius had said earlier, he said, "I'm seeing you."_

He sighed.

"I got a letter from the Ministry!" Lily announced as she entered the kitchen.

Right, there was still that whole ordeal to deal with. Sirius shifted in his chair, "What does it say?" he asked.

"I don't know, I haven't opened it yet."

"Well then," James said, following closely at Lily's heels. He made a wild gesture of taking the envelope from his girlfriend's hands. "Let's open it."

_Dear Miss Lily Evans,_

_Thank you for informing the Ministry of Magic of this scheme. We at the Ministry will be enlisting the Aurors to help protect you and your friends as well as the general Muggle population in the area._

_Enclosed is a letter from one our best Aurors who will be handling your case, Alastor Moody, further specifying their plans._

_Best of Luck,_

_Lorcan McLaird, Minister for Magic_

"Boring," James announced after reading the first piece of parchment.

Giving him a strange look, Lily grabbed the second letter and started reading.

_Lily Evans,_

_I'll get right down to it, your friend is in danger. I'm sure you know how dangerous He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is, and I don't need to tell you to be vigilant, but I'll do it anyway._

_There is no telling what kind of danger is afoot. Constant vigilance is the only way to be prepared. Be prepared to fight for your life._

_The Aurors will be doing parameter sweeps every hour for the next month, starting August 1st._

_Be cautious, I've had a homing signal device made for your friend. Make sure he/she keeps it on their person at all times. When the button is pressed, a signal will be sent to all personnel in the area and they will come to his aid._

_Constant Vigilance,_

_Alastor Moody_

Lily put down the letter, "What homing device?"

Sirius, who had somehow come into possession of the envelope, turned the envelope onto the kitchen table. A small circular object bounced a few times before settling on the wood.

"Huh." The three teens stared at the small sphere for a moment, unsure of what to do with it. Sirius for one had never seen anything like it before.

"It looks like a bouncy ball..." Lily said finally, picking it up to get a better look at it.

"Be careful not to set it off," Sirius uttered seriously.

"I won't." Tracing the seam down the middle of the ball, Lily opened it like a clam, revealing the small red button within. "Huh. This doesn't seem very magical. Weird."

"Whatever," James said. "As long as we get it to Sourgrapes." This earned him a slight elbow to the ribs.

**xxx-xxx**

Severus was only slightly surprised to see Sirius back on his doorstep. In fact, he almost smiled.

"One minute," Severus said, telling Sirius to stay outside. He went upstairs to get Watership Down, which he still hadn't finished, from his bedside table. He stopped in his parents' bedroom to tell his mum he was going out.

"Be careful," she said.

"I'm going with Sirius."

A smile that looked only slightly pained crossed her face, "okay."

Severus gave the same story to Tobias, stationed as always in front of the television. "I'm going out."

His father only grunted in reply.

Severus closed the door behind him and once again he was facing Sirius.

"Hey."

"Hey."

Sirius slipped his hand into the Slytherin's. Together in a comfortable silence, they strolled towards the creek.

The streets were nearly empty, only a couple of children playing make believe at the edge of the forest saw them. Severus tried to shake his hand loose, but Sirius only gripped tighter.

The little girl stood in front of them, blocking their way. "Are you in love?" she asked.

"Shut up, Laura!" The boy said, he was older and his face was flushed.

Sirius crouched down so he was level with Laura and smiled in that dazzling way, his hand still in Severus'. "We are very much in love," he said with a wink.

The little girl giggled as her friend herded her away from the young men. He stuck his tongue out and said, "go away, strange people."

Sirius stood up, a frown tugging at his lips. Severus had the sudden impulse to kiss him, but held back for modesty's sake. Instead he pulled Sirius towards their destination, his face growing warmer with every step.

"Hey, wait a second," Sirius called out, stopping mid-step and causing Severus to very nearly trip over a tree root.

"What?"

"Nothing," Sirius said, making up the space between them and giving Severus a quick kiss on the cheek."I saw you staring at me."

It was a little while before they finally reached the creek and Severus settled into his usual nook. Sirius settled on another root an leaned against the tree. The forest looked enchanted than usual, with its knobby trees

"Lily heard back from the Ministry this morning."

"Is that so?" Severus said, opening the thick book to the dog eared page. "What did they say?" He sounded calmer than he felt.

"They're sending a watch, and they got you this thing," Sirius took a small ball out of his pocket and handed it to the Slytherin. "It pops open, there's a button inside that sends a signal to the Aurors so they know you're being attacked."

Severus looked at the ball quizzically, "interesting." He dropped the ball into his pocket before turning back to the book.

"You're just going to read?" Sirius asked. "Waste of a date."

"What do you suggest?"

"There's the 'k' word." Sirius leaned in and brushed his lips against Severus' for a brief moment. "There are other words too." His voice was lower than usual, Severus gulped.

"I won't lie, my hormones are running rampant as well," Severus said, trying not to be drawn in. "But where can that go? I'm a monogamous person, and I think there needs to be more to a relationship than the physical stuff." He paused, "plus my lips are chapped."

Sirius huffed, "You're no fun." He really was quite childish. He sat back against the tree and crossed his arms over his chest.

Severus smiled and awkwardly attempted to wrap an arm around his... boyfriend's shoulder, pulling him near. He turned to the page he was on in Watership Down and began to read aloud_, "late in the afternoon it came on dark and very close. it was plain that there would be no true sunset. on the green path by the riverbank, hazel sat fidgeting as he tried to imagine what might be going on in efrafa..."_

**xxx-xxx**

Well then... How are you guys? I've been busy with school and procrastinating and stuff. Hope to move forward with this story sooner rather than later :)

edit: did some research and turns out Rufus Scrimgeour was Head Auror, not Moody. Mistakes have been fixed, etc. Enjoy your reading.


	15. Wait

_My 'passion' for this story is revved right back up! I'm sorry it's been so long. I pinkie promise I'll finish this story this year! I think I'll be making the biggest dent during camp NaNo. So, currently doing research on the 70s._

_Personally, school's going good. Right now, I'm writing the first draft of a novella. I've got a week before the deadline I've imposed upon myself... So, there's that. It's part of the reason I'm in a writerly mood._

**xxx-xxx**

_Remus,_

_How has your Summer been so far? Have the boys mailed you at all? If not, consider this an update from two of them. _

_Sirius and James have spent the holiday with my family. Both for obvious reasons. My mum adores the both of them. Dad is less taken by James. _

_Something's come up, actually. Do you remember when I told you Severus lived nearby? He and Sirius have got, to pardon the unintentional pun, pretty serious.I never would have pegged Sev as Siri's type, and vice versa. It's a strange world we live in. It's got James off his case though, so that's good._

_Enough about that, the good news is far outweighed by the bad. Due to some bad manoeuvring in his part, Severus has found himself on He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's bad side. We've got Auror's helping us out, but honestly, I'm scared for him. We're trying to come up with a back up plan, but we haven't come up with anything. I'm sure in a worst case scenario, Dumbledore would let him stay at Hogwarts, but het really gives me the creeps sometimes._

_Lily_

**xxx-xxx**

Severus stared up at the ceiling of his bedroom. The book he couldn't focus on sat on his nightstand. Downstairs his parents were bickering, or rather, Tobias was bickering and his mum was listening.

It hadn't sunk in yet, not really. Sirius was seriously into him. They were boyfriends, and he took every opportunity he could to show it. Fool that he was, he was quite public about his feelings. Severus wasn't sure how he felt about that.

Severus went to the library on one of the rare days that Sirius wasn't hanging around him, and taken the opportunity to do some research. He went to the library, books, something commonplace that he was used to, not like those horribly complicated information boxes. Trying to be inconspicuous, he found a book called The Sixth Man by Jess Stearn, avoided ones called Queer People, Sex Variants, and The Male Homosexual. Thankfully, no one paid him any attention as he found a seat and flipped through the pages. It was about a study of homosexuality in the United States, claiming that at the time of publication that one in six men was gay. Gay meant that a man who was only sexually attracted to other men. But Severus had loved Lily for most of his life. Needless to say, he was a bit stumped.

He paused at chapter eleven, titled Bisexual. He'd never seen the word before, only knew that in science, a small field that was rather similar to potions in some instances, bi meant two, or twice. He browsed through it, rather happy with what he saw. It seemed to describe him well enough.*

Severus wanted to know more, though. He might not know how to use the strange 'computer' at the front desk, and he had no desire to ask the kindly librarian who had smiled at Severus every time he passed through the door in the last seventeen years, but her did know of a locator spell. If he concentrated hard enough, he hoped it would work. He really needed to get to Olivander's before the school year was upon them.

He focused on the word,_ bisexual. Bisexual,_ he thought, repeating it again and again. It was fruitful only in getting him a rather bad headache. "Bugger," he muttered. What did it matter anyway?

**xxx-xxx**

_James,_

_I heard from Lily that you and Sirius are spending the summer at hers. Lucky bastards. I ran into Wormtail on the camping trip with my parents, and he hasn't left since. My parent's bloody love him. I've had it to here. If I were a violent person, I might have let the wolf have him by now. However, the mere thought of any part of Peter in my vicinity sends a gross tingle down my spine._

_Write soon, _

_Remus_

**xxx-xxx**

Sirius made it his personal mission to spend as much time with Severus as possible. For the greater good and all that, not because he wanted to snog the attractive Slytherin, at least that's what he told himself. Severus was one hell of a kisser.

After another one of their walks, Sirius walked Severus back to his front step, and moved in for a quick peck on the cheek, after looking around to see that there were no onlookers.

"See you later," he said, turning to leave.

"Wait."

The Gryffindor paused, turning back towards his boyfriend. Severus looked unusually small, drawn into himself, and suddenly nervous. "Yeah?"

"I think I'm going to tell my parents," he said. "About me... About us."

Sirius wasn't sure what to say. His being found out wasn't exactly planned, and it had gone horribly. Nothing from his experience would bring Sev any comfort. "Really?"

"Is that okay?"

"Yeah, it's fine. It's brilliant. You're really brave."

Severus smiled.

"When are you planning on doing it? Do you want me to be there? For moral support," Sirius asked. He was back at Severus' side again. His hands found the Slytherin's and twined their fingers together.

"That would be nice," Severus said. "Is right now a good time for you?"

"Now is a great time."

**xxx-xxx**

_Lily,_

_Did you give that letter to James? I don't mean to exclude him, but now isn't the time for one of his hair-brained schemes. I may have told my parents about your situation. They would love to take Snape in should the need arise. We live in a more magical area than you guys, so protection would be easier. I've included a map, should 'the boys' as you put it don't remember where I live. I hope I don't see you before September 1st._

_Remus_

_**xxx-xxx**_

_*note: I haven't read The Sixth Man by Jess Stearn, so I'm sorry if you have and my summation was inaccurate._

_Anyway, I've got to go write more novella stuff now. Completely ignoring my school work in favour of personal interests. That's me. _

_Please don't give up on this story, I promise I'll be back soon!_


	16. Out and About

_It just started pouring rain. What perfect writing weather! Ha... ha... On one hand, I like spring because I can start planting my garden. On the other, it's starting to get warm and I just don't function as well in temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius._

_And now, fluffy stuff featuring a cast of characters I will never have the privilege of owning...  
><em>

**xxx-xxx**

Severus was nervous. He felt like he was going mad, telling his parents he was going around with another boy. His mother had probably caught on, she always was good at things like that. His father on the other hand... Who knew how he would react.

Sirius touched his soulder then, reminding the Slytherin that he was there to support him. Severus let himself smile, tight and uncomfortable, but a smile none the less.

He called his mother to the living room, and turned the telly off so as to have his father's full attention.

"What'd you do that for?" He grumped.

"Hush, dear, Severus has something to tell us," his mum said, taking a seat in her rocking chair just to the left of Tobias' recliner.

"I was in the middle of a football game..."

"Hush."

The man did a double take when he saw Sirius, probably for the first time. "Who's this?" he asked.

"Hush, dear," Mum said again, this time with more authority. She definitely knew what was up. It was strangely nice to see her in the driver's seat instead of the passenger's side for once.

"Well, um, hi Mum, Dad," Severus started. Maybe he should have read a few more books after all.

"Hello, sweetheart," Mum said.

"So, I wanted to tell you both something..." Severus stole a glance at Sirius. The Gryffindor offered a warm smile. He gained a bit of confidence. "You see this man over here?"

"Yeah, who is he anyway?" Tobias asked.

Severus sighed, "this is Sirius Black. He's my, um, boyfriend."

His father furrowed his eyebrows, trying to make sense of it for himself. "You like blokes, son?"

"I like one," Severus explained.

"Right, right..." Tobias muttered. "Are you one of them gays, Severus?"

"Kind of? I'm not really sure." Severus said, "I've been attracted to girls as well."

"So it's a phase."

"Maybe, maybe not."

"Do you plan on living this gay lifestyle shite I seen on the telly?"

"There's a gay lifestyle?" Out of the corner of his eye, Severus caught Sirius muffling a chuckle.

"You know what the Bible says, boy? Homosexuality is a sin. You and your 'boyfriend' are going to go to hell."

Eileen sighed, speaking before Severus' temper flared. " Tobias, dear. When was the last time any of us went to church?"

"I can believe what I want. It's a free country."

Sirius chose this moment to speak, "and Severus can date whomever he wants. It's not your place to say."

"I should have a say... I'm his Pop!"

"This isn't the 1800s, father. It's 1977 for Merlin's sake! This is the digital revolution, times are changing!" Severus stated. "Soon enough muggles will develop cars that fly without magic, is there really time to judge someone based on who they love?"

Severus took a breath, noticing that both his parents and Sirius were looking at him with a mix of confusion and adoration. The adoration was coming mostly from Sirius and his mother. It made him feel less awkward about what he'd just said.

"When you put it that way..." Tobias said, "what's the point of wasting resources like that just to make the world 'magical'? We don't need technology to get things done, just some good old-fashioned work ethic."

It was kind of a success, Severus decided. Knowing his father, he would ignore any notion that his son's sexuality was anything but normal, just like he lived convincing himself that magic didn't exist. It wouldn't make things any easier, but it was better than other possible outcomes.

**Xxx-xxx**

Lily nearly pounced on Sirius the day they all received their Hogwarts letter. She proudly displayed her Head Girl pin on her shirt, and convinced James to do the same with his Head Boy pin.

To say Sirius was _happy_ when their school lists came by owl was an understatement. Things were increasingly tense in the Evans' household after Eileen told Olive about the boys. Now on top of a possible Death Eater attack, Sirius found himself tiptoeing around Mr. And Mrs. Evans. They tried their best to understand, they really did, but sometimes it just got awkward for all parties involved.

He needed a break, the others did too, he could tell. So, after James made arrangements to meet up with Remus and Peter in Diagon Alley. Since James and Severus both had brooms, and Mr. Evans was using his car that day, they took to the skies.

They headed out during a cloudy period after breakfast. Lily clung to James for dear life, she never was too fond of brooms. Sirius leaned against Severus as the Slytherin guided them through the clouds. The broom was an older model than James', but Severus made up for it with firm control.

"You're pretty good at this, Snape." James said, "why'd you never try out for Quidditch?"

"It would cut into my studies." Severus muttered.

"That sucks, man. School would have been so much better if I could have beat you on the field." James laughed, "it's not too late, you know. We could still make some sweet memories."

For a moment James lost his balance, courtesy of Lily squeezing him tight around the waist. He was quick to regain his balance, only causing Lily to clutch to him closer. James laughed, half choking from lack of air, "We're fine, Lils."

They only ran into one other Wizard on their way south, an Auror who was doing sweeps in Spinners End, who introduced himself as Frank before wishing them a good day. He seemed familiar, but Sirius couldn't quite place him.

They would meet the other two Marauders at Flourish and Blotts after noon and go to lunch afterwards. That gave them about two hours after they landed. Their first stop was, of course, Gringotts. Lily had to exchange her muggle money, and the boys each had to take a sizeable amount from their accounts. Sirius was confusedto find that his mother hadn't yet removed him from the family account. James encouraged him to take more than he needed, just in case. Sirius was tempted, to be sure, but in all honesty he had done nothing to earn any of that money.

After that, the couples went their separate ways. Sirius followed closely behind as Severus went straight for Ollivander's Wand Shop. Their hands brushed, but the Slytherin recoiled slightly and sped up a few paces. Sirius was a bit hurt, but he could understand the situation his boyfriend was in. So he didn't push it.

Sirius decided to wait outside the wand shop, window shopping in the surrounding area to keep busy. He noticed there weren't that many Hogwarts students milling around, but then, letters probably got sent out a week ago or so.

Eventually, Severus joined him outside a sweets shop that boasted homemade fudge.

"What'd you get?" Sirius asked.

"Birch, 14 inches, quite rigid, with a dragon heartstring core," Severus said, revealing the wand and giving it a swish.

"Hm, a bit dark for birch, isn't it?"

"Just a finish," Severus tucked the want into his pocket. "It's more comfortable than my old one, I think.."

"Well, I'd say you're a different person than when you were eleven."

"Not that different."

"Ah, but I don't hate you anymore. Something changed that." Sirius paused before joking, "you're pulling on my heartstrings."

They laughed. His eyes met with Severus' for a second, then they both looked away. The Gryffindor had the sudden inexplicable urge to kiss the young man. Sadly, they were in public, and Severus had only just recoiled from the possibility of holding hands. Kissing was not the best plan of action just yet.

Severus seemed to have other plans though, pulling Sirius into the nearest alleyway and wrapping his arms around Sirius once they were round the back side of the sweets shop. His lips were chapped, the product of flying against the wind currents for a long time, but the kiss was sweet and slow.

When they parted, Sirius couldn't help but point out, "that's the first time you kissed me," in a slightly dazed voice.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I'm always the one initiating. You kissing me, I think I like it."

"Then I suppose I'll have to do it more often," Severus said.

"You'd better," Sirius growled. His hands found Severus' dark jumper, and he pulled the Slytherin up into another kiss.

Sirius and Severus discreetly joined the mull of fellow shoppers after a few more kisses, both a little flushed and a bit more out of breath as if they'd been running.

"What's next?" Sirius asked.

"Apothecary."

Again, Sirius followed behind his boyfriend at a safe distance. He took the time to admire the Slytherin's backside. He looked fit in clothes that fit him, robes enveloped his body and make him look like a scrawny bat, and Sirius couldn't remember seeing Severus in casual clothes in all the years they had gone to school. He relished the opportunity he had now.

This time he perused through the aisles of fragrant herbs, poked at jars of pickled eyeballs, and cages housing tiny creatures that supplied enchanted spider silk, fairy dust, as well as a tank of inky black fish Sirius could have sworn he'd seen in a book somewhere. The shopkeeper's ginger Tomcat prowled along a shelf above Sirius, carefully watching for him a few minutes before their eyes met. The cat hissed and ran off in search of a snack.

Sirius found Severus in the back of the shop, pouring over a dusty old potions book that looked like it had sat on the clearance shelf since 1207.

"Got everything?" Sirius asked.

"Almost," Severus muttered. "Just a moment..."

Sirius hummed and took to stretching his arms. He trailed a finger across a nearby shelf, checking for dust, before finding the back pocket of Severus' trousers and slipping inside. He peered over the other boy's shoulder, and Severus tensed considerably. "Is it that interesting?"

Severus cleared his throat and nodded. He carefully closed the book and placed it back on the shelf. "Black, kindly remove your hand from my arse."

Sirius did as he was told, bringing his hand to his chest in mock hurt at the use of his last name. "C'mon," he said. "If we go now, we'll be just in time to meet up with the others."

"Yes, alright."

Severus purchased his things, and as Sirius predicted, they strolled up to Flourish and Blotts just after Remus and Peter, and only seconds before James and Lily.

"What'cha doing here Snivellous?" Peter asked with a snicker.

"Right, you're the only one who doesn't know, aren't you, Pettigrew. Always the last to know," Severus droned.

"What are you on about, snake," the short boy snapped, reaching into his robes for his wand.

"Chill out, Wormtail." James said, "we're cool."

"Really, are you sure you aren't brainwashed?"

James turned to the Slytherin, "are you brainwashing us?"

"If anyone is, it's probably Sirius."

"That's a 'no' then."

Peter narrowed his eyes. "I still don't trust him. Why are we cool with him being here?"

Sirius took the opportunity to clear his throat. "Remember how I'm gay?"

Peter nodded, eyes narrowing. "Right, and you still wouldn't take me up on my offer."

Sirius waited for a moment to see if it would click for the dirty blond. When it didn't, he briefly took Severus' hand, who gave him a little squeeze. "Dating?" Sirius offered, "we're dating."

"Oh!" Peter said. "Wait, he's gay? Snivellous, I thought you were busy drooling over Evans."

Severus shifted awkwardly. "Yes, well. I wouldn't say I ever _drooled_ over Lily... I am seeing a man now, so I am at least a bit..."

"Right, okay. I think I get it," Peter nodded.

James yawned, draping an arm around Lily's shoulders. "Well that's all the important people, let's go get this over with so we can eat."

"Agreed."

**Xxx-xxx**

Just wanted to mention that I have a poll up on my profile where you can vote on what I'm going to write once I finish Summer Love, and it will continue to be open until I'm done this story.

In other news, camp NaNo is going pretty good, which is why I have a new chapter for you to read. Let's all hope I continue like this...


	17. Out and About 2: Revenge of the Broom

_Hey look, another chapter._

_Continuing on in the festival of dialogue starring characters we all know and love/put up with. The world would be a different place If I'd written the books, to be sure._

_(as and aside: I'm pretty sure I'm incredibly warm blooded or something. It was 13 degrees C today, and I almost melted into a puddle.)_

**xxx-xxx**

Flourish and Blotts was busy, as was usual for the time of year, and the Marauders and Co quickly dispersed into the clamour of Hogwarts students and their haggard parents. Severus made for a mostly abandoned area where the Arithmancy books were kept.

Double checking his list and the thick text to make sure he got the right one, Severus continued on to the Potions section. Then Defence against the Dark Arts, and finally Ancient Runes, before joining Sirius in the Transfiguration section.

His boyfriend's eyes went wide when he saw the pile of textbooks and required reading.

"How many NEWTs are you taking? Ten?" He asked.

Severus smiled, "only four."

"Merlin, I'm taking two." Sirius said. "I think James had you beat though," motioning to the bespectacled Gryffindor coming up to them. He did have an impressive amount of books in his arms.

James huffed, "Transfiguration, DADA, History of Magic, Care of Magical Creatures, and Charms. Guess which one is my slack off course."

"Five NEWTs, that's pretty impressive, Potter."

"Yeah, well, just being a good role model for the kiddies like any good Head Boy, Snape." James smirked, "plus, it'll come in handy when I apply to the Aurors."

"of course."

Sirius laughed, "you know, I never gave much thought to what I was going to do after school ended... Guess I'll have to get a job, now that I have no wealth to inherit." He turned to Severus, "what about you, Sev?"

Severus shrugged. "I've thought about teaching, but Hogwarts doesn't hire right out of school, I could probably get a job in some shop 'til then."

"What about writing?" Sirius asked once James went off to buy his books before his arms fell off from the weight.

"What?"

"like, textbooks or something. I may or may not have peeked into your notebooks while you were in the toilet one time or another. You really seem to know what you're doing."

Severus snorted, derailing the tall teenager for a second. Sirius smiled.

"I'm serious, you'd be good at it."

"I'm glad you approve of how I spend my time, a topic which you betrayed my privacy to discover, but honestly, who would take me seriously?"

"I would," Sirius said, "besides, you as a Professor? Think of the children, Severus."

"The dunderheads need proper discipline if they're going to learn anything. Headmaster Dumbledore is far too forgiving," Severus grumbled.

"Hmm, Professor," Sirius faux-moaned, looking down into Severus' eyes. "Did you want to see me after class, sir?"

His throat felt thick. Severus swallowed down whatever words that had been on the tip of his tongue in favour of flushed cheeks and a pregnant silence. He watched as Sirius' cheeks grew red, but his eyes never strayed from Severus'.

Finally one of them cleared their throats, and suggested they go purchase their textbooks.

They met the others outside, and fell into step with one another on the way to the Leaky Cauldron. There were a great deal more people milling around then there had been in the morning. Shop workers on their lunch break, and late rising Hogwarts students scrambling in search of supplies.

On the other side of the brick wall that separated Diagon Alley from Muggle London, the Leaky Cauldron was comfortably busy. Squeezing between two tables, one occupied by a young couple who both had vibrant ginger hair with two equally ginger young boys, and a cooing baby, the other taken up by a huge man hunched over his pie and beer. They found an empty table in one of the darker corners to put down their stuff. Potter and Lupin took everyone's orders as well as the money for those meals, and went up to the bar to order.

Beneath the table, Severus found Sirius' hand and clasped it, earning a squeeze from the other boy.

"Okay, so, how did this start?" Pettigrew asked, motioning between the Slytherin and Sirius.

"I dunno," Sirius shrugged. "I just looked at this greasy git one day, and everything was different." His eyes trained in on Severus, and he smiled shyly.

Severus returned the smile, letting the insulting name brush past him. He bathed on almost a daily basis, and was by no means greasy. His potions hobby was what gave his hair the sheen. Besides, he was certain Sirius wasn't being serious, after all, he made it seem like he loved Severus' hair for all he knotted his fingers in it when they snogged.

"Tell me how you did it, would you?"

Sirius tapped his nose, "can't, sorry. Trade secret."

"Oh, bugger you." Pettigrew muttered.

Lupin and Potter joined them back at the table shortly after, carrying a beer, two exploding lemonades, and three empty mugs. Sirius took the beer, and Pettigrew took an exploding lemonade. James popped the lid off of his lemonade, and Lupin put the mugs in front of himself, Lily and Severus.

Pettigrew's lemonade fizzed as he twisted the pop top with all his might. Severus saw James gave his telltale smirk, and suddenly there was a loud bang as everyone at the table was sprayed with exploding lemonade.

"Shit!" Pettigrew muttered. Having got the worst of the spray, he was soaked. Quickly excusing himself, the small teen scurried off to the loo.

Lupin leaned into the table. "so, I hear things have died down a bit on your end."

Lily nodded, "it's pretty calm. We haven't heard much of anything from the Aurors, but,"

"You can never be too careful," Lupin finished. "It's for the best, you never know with those sorts." They all knew he spoke from experience.

"I've been thinking of getting Severus' and my parents to go on holiday. Somewhere nice, of course. Just, away from any trouble in case it decides to come knocking," Lily explained.

"I think we should go away," James said in hushed tones. "To draw the line of fire away from Spinner's End. There's a fair amount of Muggles who could get hurt if He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named's followers come after us while we're still there."

"Your parents could visit Petunia and Vernon," Severus suggested.

"What about your parents, Sev?" Sirius looked genuinely concerned.

Severus honestly didn't know if or where his parents liked to spend time outside of the home. His father didn't like much of anything, besides the television, and his mother had been a housewife for most of her life. "I don't know, Mum hasn't seen her family in forever, and Father... Well, he would fend off those bastards off magic or no."

His last comment earned him laughter from those who knew Tobias Snape.

"Why are we laughing?" Pettigrew asked, having returned from the toilets. He looked less like a drowned rat, with his clothes magicked dry, and his face freshly washed.

"I was about to ask everyone to my house for the rest of the summer, since you've so graciously taken over our spare room." Lupin said, "I don't believe my parents have ever met Lily. Or Severus for that matter."

"I don't see why-" Severus started.

"I'm all for it, just so long as we schedule a night-time run," James said, raising one eyebrow.

"Across the moor? That does sound nice," Sirius joined in.

"I'm just going to ignore that second idea, but I'd have to ask my mum about going down to.. Remus, where do you live?" Lily asked.

"Ilkley," Lupin said. "and I look forward to that run."

**xxx-xxx**

Sirius spent the return trip the way he spent the trip to Diagon Alley, head resting on Severus' shoulder like it belonged there, arms wrapped snugly around his waist, and a full stomach. His boyfriend's scent mingled with the late afternoon air as they weaved through the cloud cover. He felt content.

He'd offered to fly the broom back initially, but the finicky old thing had other ideas. Not five minutes in, Sirius lost control, the broom veering into Lily and James. James was a ways behind them now, for Lily's sake. She'd gotten quite the shock. Sirius could only imagine how much worse the crash would have been if they hadn't dropped their books at the Owlry to be flown over separately.

"This is nice," Sirius whispered softly into but boyfriend's ear.

"Everything's 'nice' today," Severus pointed out.

"I wouldn't mind if it was like this all the time."

"You'd be bored within the hour if everything was nice all the time."

"I would not," Sirius muttered, leaning further forward and pressing his lips to Severus' cheek. "Not with you anyway."

"Stop saying things like that. It makes me want to strangle and coddle you at the same time."

Sirius didn't have time to respond. James pulled up beside them with a gust of wind. His and Lily's eyes wide with fear. James' hair was wilder than usual, like it had been fried.

"I don't suppose you have your signal on you, do you Severus?"

"No, it's on my desk. Why-"

"No time for explanations. They're coming. The Death Eaters, they're coming."

**xxx-xxx**

_Finally, some action!_

_I had a thought. At the end of this, would anyone like it if I posted some deleted scenes? Since I've been writing this story off and on, I've collected a few ways this story might have gone. _

_Also, reminder of the poll still up on my profile. Vote on what my next project will be!_


	18. Chase

_Hello, my lovelies (is that weird?) turns out it's the last day of camp nanowrimo. Well, I guess I'll have to get my butt in gear if I want to do what I promised for once and finish this story! Only a few chapters left, I promise._

_I only own the idea, not the characters or the world they live in._

**xxx-xxx**

It was a mad race through the skies. Quickly made negotiations had Severus and Sirius making wide circles overhead as James and Lily raced towards the Snape's house for the alarm. Sirius thought he saw a streak of black cloth chase after them.

It was impossible to tell who the dark wizards were. Two of them caught up to Severus' old broom with ease, wands at the quickly dipped down just as one of them sent out a "crucio." The voice was feminine, harsh and familiar.

"Fuck off, Bella!" Sirius yelled over his shoulder, hugging close to Severus as the wind whistled past his ears. He pulled out his wand and whispered a shoddily aimed jelly legs jinx at the Death Eater closest to him. It missed, of course, but it gave him a second to think of something more effective. "Stupify!"

This time it hit his target hard in the chest, knocking her back off of her broom. The other dove to catch her, but as they disappeared through the dense clouds, two more appeared in their place.

Severus turned around and cut between them, blowing them further apart with a silent spell.

Sirius had no time to look at his boyfriend with wonder in his eyes because Severus seemed to be able to do wandless magic. It took seconds for the dark wizards to recover and get back on the boys' tail.

Sirius looked over his shoulder and raised his wand again to shoot off another spell, he noticed Bellatrix and the other wizard rise up out of the clouds on a single broom. Four against two.

Before he could shout a spell into the wind, Severus made a sharp turn left. The broom spasmed and groaned with the effort. When Sirius looked back, there were seven Death Eaters gaining on them. They had faster brooms, more experience. He and Severus might have had some luck just moments before, but it was unlikely it would last long enough to knock seven Death Eaters off their trail.

Sirius hoped desperately that James and Lily got to the alarm without any trouble.

Severus swung the broom around, so that they were facing the Death Eaters. Sirius couldn't see the look on his face, but Severus' entire body went rigid, he pulled out his wand and took aim. Sirius did the same.

"So we're fighting our way out of this. then?" Sirius asked.

Severus didn't answer. His focus was entirely upon the oncoming threat. The spell he cast was little more than a whisper, "sectum sempra," but it had a force as powerful as an Unforgivable. It blew the Death Eaters back, they screamed and held their limbs. They were too far away for Sirius to tell what the spell had done. He'd never heard it before, but with Severus' thing with reading, he figured he must have found it in some dusty old tome.

Sirius was curious, but before he could ask what happened, a new force pushed them back, far away from the Death Eaters. Sirius held tight to Severus as they were blown into an unruly somersault mid-air. Out the corner of his eye, Sirius saw more wizards and witches flying into the fray. Aurors, he hoped.

Once they settled into a calmer air current, Sirius saw that his hope was right. A flock of men and women on brooms went straight for the Death Eaters, only one came towards them. The man they met earlier on in the day, Frank.

"Are you two all right?" he asked.

"We're fine," Severus said.

"You kids did a good job, holding them off for this long."

"Right..." Sirius muttered. He wasn't really paying attention to Frank. In the distance, the Aurors fended off the Death Eaters, a mess of bright light and screaming. It looked like the Aurors were winning, but it was hard to tell when everyone wore the same dark robes.

"You can go down to your friends now, I think some of ours are waiting with them."

**xxx-xxx**

The first thing that happened when they landed on solid ground once again was that Lily ran up and enveloped them both in a large hug. Severus nearly jumped, it had been years since Lily showed him any kind of affection, it was still new to him.

"Thank goodness you two are safe!" she exclaimed, pulling them in tighter. James looked on with a bemused smirk.

It was over. They survived.

xxx-xxx

_It's a short chapter, I think the next one will be longer, I'm better at writing fluff than I am at "action," just another thing to work on, I guess._

_Quick reminder that I have a poll up on my profile. You get to vote on what I work on next! One of the options is a sequel to this story, but there are other options too._

_I never really say this, but reviews give me the power to write, I really appreciate them. _

_See you guys soon!_


	19. Hold Me

_Is it so soon that we are here again? I think I will be able to do this, I really do._

**xxx-xxx**

It was a quick and painful process getting his parents to allow him to go to Yorkshire for the two weeks before school started. It was quite another to try to convince Tobias to join his mother in visiting her family. After learning that Mr. and Mrs. Evans would be visiting Petunia and Vernon in Surrey, Severus only gave the others a brief synopsis of what happened. His parents weren't going anywhere.

He inwardly cringed every time he saw the purplish bruise on his mother's arm. He didn't want to leave his mum alone with that man any more, who cared if most of the time everything was fine? All it took was a moment for something inside to snap and release the monster.

Severus groaned. His suitcase was packed, not only with what he needed for the next two weeks, but also all of his school things. He had to shrink down his textbooks to make it all fit. Sadly, that did not have any impact on the bag's weight, it was ridiculously heavy. Severus could barely lift it off his bed. Thankfully if magic was good for anything, it was lifting heavy objects.

He found his mother in her unusual place, making Tobias breakfast in the kitchen. She tried her best to hide behind her hair, which was pulled back into a messy bun. She'd been crying again.

"Mum, I'm leaving soon." Severus said quietly. "You should come with us. Please?"

She smiled at him, but shook her head. "You go have a good time with your friends, dear. Your father and I have to work some thing out."

"Please, Mum."

"Severus, I'll hear no more about it. Shoo, Sirius and the other will be waiting."

"At least call me if something happens? The Lupins have a phone. Here, I'll write the number down for you," Severus took a piece of scrap paper and scribbled down the number Lupin told him and Lily and passed it to his mother.

"If it will make you feel better."

**xxx-xxx**

Yorkshire was a much-needed break, Sirius found.

Severus had hit it off with Mr. Lupin, who was a professor of some kind, and wrote some books that Severus had read, and as a result, they spent much of the first couple of days holed up in Lupin's study. Lily and James spent a lot of time outdoors, Sirius went along a few times but always ended up on his own, wandering the nearby moors. Peter hung around Remus and acted like he was the best thing since sliced cheese. It was kind of obnoxious, and the werewolf looked for any opportunity to escape.

Sirius spent most days hanging out with Remus, and most evenings staring at the ceiling of Mr. Lupin's study while he and Severus debated one thing or another. Sirius just liked to focus on the richness that was his boyfriend's voice.

They still made time for each other, as Sirius walked Severus to his room every night. Severus was still resisted going further than intense snogging, and Sirius thought it was probably for the best that he respect Severus' wishes. They sat beside each other during meals and held hands under the table. They made eyes at one another when Mr. Lupin went on a lengthy lecture. It was sweet, but sometimes Sirius craved more.

If there was one person in the world Sirius paid a great deal of attention to, it was Severus Snape. It was a recent change, yes, but nonetheless, the Gryffindor took his role as boyfriend very seriously. He noticed that Severus looked vaguely worried when he told Lily and the marauders that it hadn't worked to try to get his parents out of town. Sirius asked him about it, he was brushed off, but he didn't push it.

He noticed that ever since then, Severus looked more and more tired. His skin was more sallow than usual, the bags under his eyes were steadily growing.

On Monday evening, Sirius walked Severus to his room like always. They stopped outside the door, and Severus leaned in for a kiss.

"Wait," Sirius said.

Severus paused, "what?"

"Can I spend the night?"

Severus shifted his weight to his other foot.

"Please? I swear I won't do anything."

He glanced past Sirius' shoulder and down the hallway.

"We'll just sleep."

Severus sighed, not like he was giving in, but like he was grateful for the offer. He opened the door and said, "only if you shift into your animagus form."

Sirius wanted to jump on Severus and shower him in kisses. He suppressed that urge and instead calmly followed Severus into the bedroom.

It was painted in neutral tones, like the rest of the house. The bed was a ominous presence, centred against the opposite wall, night tables on either side. The bed was made, and Severus' case lay open against the wall off to one side.

"Homey," Sirius offered.

"I'm going to go change, make yourself at home." With that, Severus left Sirius alone in the room.

Sirius sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the suitcase that held the essence of Severus Snape. Textbooks, clothes and potions ingredients. No photographs of family or friends. He didn't know how Severus lived like that, closed off from the world. It didn't make him sad though. Sirius didn't pity his boyfriend. He adored the parts that were standoffish to others, yet increasingly warm to him. He liked that to Severus, he was special.

Sirius lay back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. He wondered if it was crazy that he could see himself really falling in love with Severus Snape, spending the rest of his life with a man he had hated for so much of his life already. He laughed, imagining that if someone had told him he would be feeling this way five years ago, or even a year ago... A younger version of himself might have hexed their arse into the next millenium, or at the very least threatened to.

"Enjoying yourself, are we?"

Sirius turned his head toward the door. Severus had his arms crossed against his chest, but he was smiling. "Far too much," Sirius said. He patted the bed beside him, and the Slytherin hopped up onto the bed.

"Anything interesting up there?" Severus asked, laying down next to Sirius.

"Not really." Sirius reached over and laced his fingers into Severus'.

**xxx-xxx**

Severus woke up in the middle of the night breathing hard and bathed in sweat. The vivid nightmare that had woken him up was gone, replaced by a soft whine beside him.

Right, Sirius was a big black dog. Sirius was in his bed. Sirius was probably worried.

"It's fine, I'm fine," he offered. He slumped back in bed and rubbed the area between Sirius' ears. The dog lifted his head and rested it on Severus' chest, looking into his eyes and matching their breathing. Slowly, ever so slowly, the big black dog became a man again.

Sirius wrapped his arms around Severus' torso, pulled his head up to the pillow and hugged the Slytherin to him. Soft kisses pressed against his head and cheeks. Then Severus couldn't hold in the things he had been feeling anymore, and he was crying.

"Shh," Sirius whispered. "It'll be okay."

Severus pulled Sirius closer than humanly possible and quietly sobbed into the Gryffindor's bare chest.

The next time Severus woke up, there was light coming in through the small window above his bed. His left arm was asleep, and Sirius' limbs were tangled together with his in a perfection of chaos. For the first time in almost a week, Severus felt refreshed. He slept deep and sound, and save for the morning breath tickling his nostrils, everything in the world seemed exactly as it should be.

After that night, their routine changed. Sirius' bags found their way into Severus' room. Every night, Sirius walked Severus to the door, and Severus invited him inside.

**xxx-xxx**

There were four days left before they would be standing on Platform 9 3/4 headed to their last year at Hogwarts.

It was the full moon that night, and Padfoot, Prongs, and Wormtail were ready for their moonlight romp. They were positioned in a triangle around Remus just as the moon shone through the clouds.

Remus' howl of pain ripped across the quiet moor. Sirius couldn't imagine how horrible it must feel. The cracking bones and stretching skin. He saw the downstairs basement where Remus endured the previous full moons over the past summers and all the years before he started attending Hogwarts. It was awful. He was glad that he and the other marauders could help Moony.

It was a night of races and howling animal laughter. Had any muggle seen them, they would be extraordinarily confused. Moony seemed a new man, er, wolf. Throwing back his head and howling at his mistress moon. Sirius soon joined him, creating a song of sorts. Prongs and Wormtail danced in circles around them long into the night.

They returned to the cabin shortly after dawn. Mrs. Lupin was waiting for them with homemade hot chocolate. They thanked her, and she smiled like each of them were her sons.

"Make sure you get lots of rest, especially you Remus." She urged as they gulped down the last of the warm drink.

"Will do, Mrs. L," James yawned.

Remus smiled. Sirius thought that he must have inherited it from his mother. "Thank you, Mum."

Sirius dropped his mug in the sink and shuffled off after the others in the direction of their rooms, nodding his head to Mrs. Lupin.

He must have been half asleep going down that hall, because when he woke up, fingers were absently stoking his hair.

"Good afternoon, sleepyhead."

Sirius looked up at Severus and yawned. The Slytherin was reading a book, which was no surprise. "Hey," he said lazily. Having no desire to move from his place on Severus' lap, Sirius let his eyes drift shut again. "What time is it?"

"About one. None of you came down for breakfast, so I came looking."

"Aww," Sirius said, "come 'ere." He reached up to pull Severus' face down to his level.

"I'm afraid I must decline. Your breath smells terrible."

Sirius let his arms fall. "Party pooper." He pulled himself up into a sitting position, leaning in to give Severus a peck on the cheek before he could be stopped and hauled himself out of bed.

"And where are you going?" Severus asked.

"To brush my teeth. I'll be back to get that kiss."

**xxx-xxx**

_So, see you soon. Reviews are greatly appreciated and all that stuff._


	20. Between Platforms 9 and 10

_Success?_

**xxx-xxx**

They took the floo network to London on September first. The trip was much smoother than taking the Knight Bus like they had done to get to the Lupins' house. As they walked through muggle London with their cases, they looked no different than any other child off to boarding school, save for Potter with his broom swung over his shoulder, and his owl in its cage.

It didn't take too long to get to Kings' cross. The only ones out of breath by the time they got to the front steps of the train station were Severus and Pettigrew.

Severus' nerves grew with every step towards Platforms 9 and 10. What would he do once he got to Hogwarts? Surely every Slytherin with firm family ties to the Dark Lord would know what had happened over the Summer. He and Sirius hadn't even talked about what they would do once they got to school. Would they come out? Would they be ridiculed? What if they broke up? Severus didn't even want to consider that possibility.

His fingers went for his pocket, and to the small box that was in it. He played with the box, turning it round and running his fingertips over the grain of the wood. Was he ready for any of this?

But then he caught Sirius' curious gaze, and Severus felt foolish for thinking about that. Everything would be fine.

One by one they walked through the wall between platforms 9 and 10, not running like some because they wanted to relish in the feeling. One more year. One last hurrah.

Severus pulled Sirius to the side once they were on Platform 9 3/4.

"What is it?" Sirius asked.

Severus reached into his pocket and pulled out the small wooden box. "Here," he said, pushing it into the Gryffindor's hands.

Sirius opened the box, revealing a ring with a glassy mirror set in the centre. "What is it?" he repeated.

"It's a two-way mirror... or sorts," Severus explained. "I have one too, so we can talk to each other whenever, or wherever. We won't be seeing each other as much, so I thought..."

Sirius smiled brightly. "This is brilliant!" he exclaimed, causing a few wizards and witches around them to startle. "Sev, this is brilliant. I'll wear it all the time." He slipped the ring onto his index finger and it shrunk to fit perfectly.

Severus pulled his out of his other pocket and put it on his left hand's thumb, and it did the same.

"Severus," Sirius whispered into the ring.

Beside him, Severus heard the whisper in his head. He shuddered, it was unlike anything he had ever experienced.

"We'll be fine, great even," Sirius said into the ring.

"I know," Severus said. Quickly, he looked around to see that no one was paying particularly close attention to them, before pulling Sirius down and pressing their lips together.

When they parted, Sirius was smiling again, a softer smile. "This year is going to be great."

Together they boarded the train. The conductor yelled "all aboard!" and they parted ways, Sirius to find Potter and Pettigrew, and Severus to the car where the Slug Club usually met.

Everything would be fine, Severus repeated to himself. It became his mantra as he wandered through the cars. Everything will be fine, right?

**xxx-xxx**

_So, the story's officially done. There's an epilogue too, but I'm actually visiting my mum right now and have no access to it, so I'll post it in about a month._

_Thank you everyone who's been reading since the beginning, it's been a long haul to the finish line, hasn't it? Thank you to everyone who has left me reviews (45 of them!), and to those of you who just started reading, or joined up along the way. It's been crazy and sporadic, and amazing._

_Keep on the lookout for the sequel if you'd like to know what happens next. It probably won't happen for a little while, as I plan on writing quite a bit of it before I start posting it up. But as of right now, I've got an outline of the main plot, and I expect more plot bunnies will start hopping my way soon._

_Until our paths cross again, farewell and happy reading!_


	21. Epilogue

_Hello lovelies, I present to you a super short epilogue!_

**xxx-xxx**

Severus was putting the finishing touches on a peace drought when Sirius finally woke up, having collapsed on the couch by the library nook across the room. He picked up his discarded shirt and yawned, putting it on but not bothering to do up the buttons, before he shuffled across the study.

"Why didn't you wake me up, Sev?" Sirius asked. He was still a little fuzzy in the head from the nap, and pressed a kiss to Severus' cheek.

"You seemed tired, after all, you fell asleep the moment your head hit the couch cushions." He returned his partner's show of affection. "Didn't even make it to the bed."

'You still should have woken me up, we're going to be late to James and Lily's." Sirius pouted, "I was going to dress up."

"I had to finish this up first," Severus explained, gesturing to the potion. It was a present for Lily, and just about ready to bottle. "Besides, you're already an attractive wizard every other day of the year, what would you dress up as?" It had become tradition among the marauders to gather on major holidays, since they were all busy, it was the only time they saw each other outside of Order duties. It helped them feel more like a united front, and despite the horrors going on around them, this Hallowe'en was no different.

"Aww... I wanted to see if I could get a rise out of Harry."

'Harry's fifteen months old. Make a face."

"I know, but after last year, I really want to outdo the three of them."

Severus rolled his eyes, pulling Sirius to him. "Face it, no one can out dress-up enthusiastic parents."

"We could always join the leagues of enthusiastic parents..."

Severus frowned, they'd had this conversation a million times since Lily first found out she was pregnant. Between his living as a double agent, starting a new job at Hogwarts next fall, and Sirius' job at the Ministry... Plus the Dark Lord was growing anxious ever since he got word from Yaxley of a new prophecy. The Potters and Longbottoms were as safe as they could be, given the circumstances, thanks to Dumbledore. "You know we can't, not yet."

"I know..."

"Soon, though. When this madness is over." He knew Sirius would make a wonderful father.

Sirius smiled, leaning into the shorter man's embrace. "I'll hold you to that promise," he murmured.

"Now," Severus said after a moment, straightening up and grabbing a bottle for the cooled potion at his work station. He pulled away to pour the mixture into the bottle. "What was this about being late to the Potter's Hallowe'en dinner?"

Sirius smiled. Severus put a cork in the bottle and tucked it into the sleeve of his robe. They grasped eat other's hands, closed their eyes and focused on Godric's Hollow, focused on a cottage with a chimney poking through the top of the roof, a stone fence grown over with ivy and a small wooden gate. It could be any house, but the cheery lights in the windows and painted mailbox claimed it as the Potter's.

The couple disappeared from their small, comfortably dark, house in Spinner's End with a crack of magic and a puff of smoke.

**xxx-xxx**

_So, I'm starting on the sequel soon... It'll take place during the marauders last year of school. I think I'm going to write it over the summer and try to post it on a regular basis in the fall, so we don't have to go through this three years thing again. Or maybe all at once. Not sure. I'll probably post a bonus mini chapter on here in case you don't want to/aren't following me, but are following this story once I do start posting the sequel. Unless you all think that's a horrible idea. I dunno._

_Again, that you to everyone who came with me on this journey, couldn't have done it without all the positive comments and PMs, story alerts and favourites. You people are the coolest._


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